UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) will visit Armenia in 2013, said to www. hra.am member of the SPT, President of the Civil Society Institute NGO Arman Danielyan.

The visit will have an advisory nature and its goal is to see the National Preventive Mechanism of Armenia (Armenian NPM).

The delegation of the Subcommittee will assess to what extent Armenia had fulfilled its obligations upon the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT). SPT will particularly pay attention to designation and functioning of the Armenian NPM during the years.

This is going to be the first visit to Armenia. Arman Danielyan hopes the visit will further more effective work of the Armenian NPM.

«The Armenian NPM does not operate in its full capacity yet. Although there is a progress noticed within recent months, the results are not tangible and are not presented to the public», gives its evaluation Arman Danielyan.

Armenia has ratified the Optional Protocol to UN Convention against Torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment on May 31, 2006.

After the ratification of the OPCAT, in 2008 a National Preventive Mechanism under the Office of the RA Human Rights Defender has been established.

In 2010 President of the Civil Society Institute NGO Arman Danielyan has been selected a member of the UN Subcommittee on Torture Prevention. Armenia is the only country among Commonwealth Independent States (CIS) included in the SPT which has 25 members.

Tomorrow, on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture Civil Society Institute and Against Violation of Law NGOs in cooperation with the Chamber of Advocates are initiating a conference entitled “A World without Torture”.