The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT), established by the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT), is one of the United Nations human rights treaty bodies. The body, focused on preventive activities, is composed of 25 independent and impartial experts from different backgrounds. Starting from 1 January 2023 they will be joined by the Advisor to the Ombudswoman of the Republic of Croatia Anica Tomšić.

Thirteen new SPT members were elected at the ninth meeting of the States parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment on 20 October 2022 in Geneva, Switzerland to take place of those whose mandates will end on the last day of 2022. Along with Croatian member, advisor Tomšić, other newly elected members come from Nigeria, Greece, Spain, Senegal, Lebanon, Austria, Georgia, South Africa, Panama, Latvia, Peru and Moldavia.

SPT’s main activities include visiting places of detention, supporting the work of National Preventive Mechanisms and the establishment of new ones, as well as drafting an annual report on own activities and presenting it to the UN’s Committee against Torture (CAT) and the UN General Assembly.

Advisor Tomšić works for the Department for the Persons Deprived of Their Liberty and the National Preventive Mechanism For The Prevention Of Torture And Other Cruel, Inhuman Or Degrading Treatment Or Punishment. Our institution took over the NPM mandate in 2012.