The impact of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) : lessons from Southern Europe

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to set out the conclusions which were drawn from the presentations made at the Onati Seminar by Country Rapporteurs from Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Turkey on the work of the CPT and the response of those States to its recommendations. These presentations provided the background information necessary to move towards the analysis of the record of the implementation of CPT recommendations by the States of Southern Europe. Such an analysis is of interest in its own right but, more importantly, it provides - or, rather, it was hoped that it would provide - a starting point for a more general consideration of the impact of the CPT upon these states. This in turn was to shed light upon the manner in which this influence was exercised and channelled in order to see whether there were any general lessons which could further our understanding of how the CPT and its partners could improve the quality of their relationship and encourage the fullest compliance with CPT recommendations. [excerpt]