The Committee against Torture is holding its 71st session online from 12 to 30 July 2021.
During this session, the Committee will review the implementation of the Convention against Torture by Belgium. Ahead of this review, a national coalition of non-governmental organizations has come together to submit an alternative report to the Committee.
This report presents information on the implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in Belgium, taking into account the List of issues prior to reporting adopted by the Committee for the fourth periodic report of Belgium and the Belgian State’s response. Considering the long time that has elapsed between the submission of these documents and the 71st session, this report also aims to provide the Committee with more up-to-date information, particularly related to the covid-19 crisis. This report is a compilation of the contributions of the eight signatory organisations, all of which have provided information and recommendations relating to their complementary areas of work and expertise concerning the implementation of the Convention against Torture and its Optional Protocol. All the information provided in this report has therefore been provided by one or more organisations whose mandate includes the relevant theme.
The signatories are : the Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT-Belgium, member of FIACAT), the Centre d’Action Laïque (CAL), Defence for Children International (DCI) – Belgium, the International Federation of ACATs (FIACAT), I.Care, the Human Rights League (LDH), Move and the Belgian branch of the International Prison Observatory. Together, they form the OPCAT coalition, which promotes and defends fundamental rights and specifically aims to protect the rights of persons deprived of their liberty by promoting the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) and the establishment of an adequate national preventive mechanism in Belgium.
