FIACAT’s Oral Statement
Item 3 – Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
49th session of the Human Rights Council
Thank you Mr. President.
Mr. Special Rapporteur on Torture,
FIACAT would like to thank you for the work you have done throughout your mandate and particularly appreciates the last thematic report that you are presenting at this session.
FIACAT congratulates you for denouncing the lack of resources and support for your mandate and the lack of political will of States to recognize and combat allegations of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in their own countries.
The prohibition of torture is a norm of jus cogens, but despite this, the phenomenon persists throughout the world in different forms. Thus, the fight against torture and ill-treatment and their various manifestations must remain a priority for all States and for the United Nations.
Mr. Rapporteur,
In accordance with what was mentioned during the online consultation that you organized in November 2021, FIACAT would like to invite your successor to dedicate one of his or her future thematic reports to the issue of abusive pre-trial detention. Indeed, in many States, detainees awaiting trial represent a large part, or even the majority, of the detainees and contribute to prison overcrowding, which in turn leads to conditions of detention that amount to ill treatment or torture.
FIACAT therefore calls on all Member States to take into account the conclusions of your report and to strengthen their collaboration with the special procedures in general, and with your mandate in particular, by ensuring that sufficient resources are allocated to the mandate holders and that the communications shared with States and the thematic reports are followed up and implemented thoroughly.
Thank you for your attention.