European National Preventive Mechanism against torture (NPM) Project

The European NPM Project has the aim to create an active network of the NPMs in Europe to foster peer exchange and provide a forum for cooperation between this network and international actors, such as the United Nations Sub-Committee on the Prevention of Torture (SPT) and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT).

The ultimate guiding principle is to strengthen the prevention of torture at national level in all Council of Europe member States. The project focuses on four main areas of activities:

• Creating an active network of NPMs in Europe to foster peer exchange, critical reflection and creative thinking on NPM work;
• Promoting awareness of CPT and SPT standards and working methods within the European NPM network;
• Promoting the cooperation between the SPT, the CPT and the NPMs;
• Promoting the ratification of the OPCAT and the establishment of OPCAT compliant NPMs where they do not exist.

The European NPM Project will be managed by the NHRS Unit of DG-HL of the CoE. The Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT), a non-governmental organisation with longstanding, universal experience in torture prevention, has agreed to be the implementing partner for the Project. Ms. Silvia Casale from the UK, who combines personal experience as former President of both the CPT and the SPT, has agreed to serve as Project Advisor.

The Project is supported and jointly funded by the Council of Europe and the European Union. A number of Project’s events and publications are organised and produced in co-operation with the Human Rights Centre of the University of Padua.

Main activities of the project