European Committee for the Prevention of Torture: Publication of the report on the visit to Slovakia in 2000 and of the response of the Government of the Slovak Republic

Strasbourg, 06.12.2001 – The Government of the Slovak Republic has agreed to the publication of the report of the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) on the visit to Slovakia in 2000 and of its response.

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Under Article 11 of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the information gathered by the Committee in relation to a visit, its report and its consultations with the State concerned are confidential. However, the State may decide to lift the rule of confidentiality provided for in the Convention.

The CPT's visit to Slovakia was carried out from 9 to 18 October 2000, within the framework of the Committee's programme of periodic visits for 2000. It was the CPT's second visit to Slovakia. The CPT's delegation visited the following places of detention:

    Detention Centre for Foreigners

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The CPT was set up under the 1987 European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Forty-one of the forty-three member States of the Council of Europe are bound by the Convention: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. When they joined the Council of Europe in January 2001, Armenia and Azerbaijan undertook to ratify the Convention within one year.

The CPT is composed of persons from a variety of backgrounds: lawyers, medical doctors, police and prison experts, persons with parliamentary experience, etc. The Committee's task is to examine the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty. For this purpose, it is entitled to visit any place where such persons are held by a public authority and to interview those persons in private. The Committee may formulate recommendations to strengthen, if necessary, their protection against torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The CPT organises periodic visits as well as other visits which appear to it be required in the circumstances.

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The CPT's report on its visit to Slovakia (62 pages) and the response of the Government of the Slovak Republic (50 pages) can be obtained from:

A 4 page summary of the CPT's main findings can be faxed or e-mailed upon request.