Johannesburg - The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) is set to visit South Africa from February 26 to March 9 to assess the situation of people deprived of their liberty and the protections available to keep them safe from torture and ill-treatment.
The SPT delegation will include Abdallah Ounnir (Morocco), Vasiliki Artinopoulou (Greece), Shujune Muhammad (Maldives), and Elna teinerte (Latvia).
Abdallah Ounnir, head of the SPT delegation, said that South Africa was an important regional player in the fight to prevent torture and ill-treatment.
He said during the visit they will conduct confidential interviews in various places of deprivation of liberty across the country.
"We will also work with the South African authorities to fulfil their treaty obligations, in particular, to establish an independent national preventative mechanism that is fully in line with the provisions of the Optional Protocol, with an adequate mandate and resources," said Ounnir.
According to a UN statement, the delegation will visit prisons, police stations, detention facilities, and various other places of deprivation of liberty.
The delegates also plan to meet with government officials, the South African Human Rights Commission, and other actors and to advise and assist relevant authorities regarding the solidification of the national preventative mechanism.
"The delegation will also hold meetings with representatives of civil society. At the end of the visit, the SPT will present its confidential preliminary observations to the Government of South Africa," added a statement from the UN.
The Star