Results
The Commission, in collaboration with the four other National
Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs), published an annual monitoring report
of the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) for
the 2012–13 period.
The annual report provided feedback on visits made to places of
detention and the measures in place to prevent torture and ill treatment.
A number of other activities are mentioned in the report, including
New Zealand’s first visit from the UN Subcommittee for Prevention of
Torture in May 2013, where a delegation of six independent experts
visited places of detention and met with the Government, civil society
organisations and NPMs.
The annual report was submitted to the Minister of Justice, and a copy
provided to the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture,
as required by the Crimes of Torture Act 1989. The report was tabled
in Parliament on 11 December 2013 and then publicly released by
the Commission.
As per the identified performance measure, there was 100 per cent
agreement by NPMs with the content of the annual report and
satisfaction with its thoroughness and value maintaining the standard
of the prior year.
In May 2014, the Commission coordinated an NPM submission of
information to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, following
its visit to New Zealand. Also, in its role as the central NPM, the
Commission convened six roundtable meetings of NPMs for the purpose
of sharing information and discussing key issues. The Commission
coordinated three initiatives that involved NPMs working together
to prevent or address issues for people in detention. These included
preparing draft and final information-sharing and publication policies and
a joint NPM Identity Statement, as well as coordinating a health/mental
health and detention workshop for NPM members and senior Ministry of
Health and Mental Health Commission representatives.
All NPMs indicated that they were satisfied with the coordination
provided by the Commission, compared with two of the four NPMs in the
previous year. Two were satisfied or very satisfied with the opportunities
to participate in joint initiatives. Two were neutral or dissatisfied with
aspects of the joint initiatives but noted that this was not solely due to
the role of the Commission, but rather an area for development in the
way the group worked together. Opportunities to participate was a new
performance measure so no trend data is available.
Annual Report 2014
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