European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)

Legal basis (mandates) and mission

The CPT was set up in 1989 under the auspices of the Council of Europe's "European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment".The Convention's aim is to strengthen the protection of persons deprived of their liberty against torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, by establishing a non-judicial machinery of a preventive character, based on visits. The CPT therefore complements the judicial work of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), as regards Article 3 of the ECHR (prohibition of torture).The CPT visits any places within the State's Party jurisdiction where persons are deprived of their liberty by a public authority (i.e. police stations, prisons, psychiatric hospitals, social care homes, immigration detention centres, juvenile institutions, military barracks, etc.) with a view to examine the treatment of such persons and make any recommendations it considers necessary.The principles of cooperation and confidentiality lie at the heart at the Convention, which aim is to assist States to strengthen the protection of detainees, and not to condemn them.

Topics of interest in the prison setting

  • Torture and ill treatment
  • Compliance with international human rights law
  • Treatment of prisoners and prison living conditions
  • Health care provided to prisoners

Strategic operations

  • Monitoring of all places where persons are deprived of their liberty
  • Visits to such places (unlimited access and right to move without restrictions)
  • Interviews in private of detainees and other relevant persons
  • Visit reports and government responses

Role in prisons

  • Collect all information available necessary to carry out its task
  • Assess the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty, including evaluation of health care provision
  • Generate confidential reports after each visit, which can be made public on the request of the respective authority
  • Promote compliance with standards for treatment of persons deprived of their liberty

Target groups

  • Governments
  • Prisoners/detainees/patients, etc.
  • Prison administration/staff

Geographic region of focus

47 Member States of the Council of Europe

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