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Optional protocol to the convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading traitment or Punishment, 2002
Entry into force: Thursday, June 22, 2006
Adoption date: Dec 18, 2002
Signed by 76 countries, ratified by 92 countries
Signatory countries
| Country | Signature date | Ratification date * | Reservation / Declaration | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan
|
- |
Apr 17, 2018 |
|
|
 Albania
|
- |
Oct 1, 2003 |
- |
|
 Angola
|
Sep 24, 2013 |
- |
- |
|
 Argentina
|
Apr 30, 2003 |
Nov 15, 2004 |
- |
|
 Armenia
|
- |
Sep 14, 2006 |
- |
|
 Australia
|
May 19, 2009 |
Dec 21, 2017 |
- |
“In accordance with Article 24 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Australia declares the postponement of the implementation of Australia's obligations under Part IV of the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, for three years.” |
 Austria
|
Sep 25, 2003 |
Dec 4, 2012 |
- |
|
 Azerbaijan
|
Sep 15, 2005 |
Jan 28, 2009 |
Declaration:
“The Republic of Azerbaijan declares that it is unable to guarantee the application of the provisions of the Protocol in the territories occupied by the Republic of Armenia until these territories are liberated from occupation.” Notifications made under article 17: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan…..has the honour to inform that the Commissioner of the Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan was designated by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan No. 112, dated January 13, 2009 as the national preventive mechanism according to Article 17 of the (United Nations) Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.” |
|
 Belgium
|
Oct 24, 2005 |
- |
Declaration made upon signature:
This signature also engages the French community, the Flemish community, the German-speaking community and the Waloon region. |
|
 Belize
|
- |
Sep 4, 2015 |
|
|
 Benin
|
Feb 24, 2005 |
Sep 20, 2006 |
- |
|
 Bolivia
|
May 22, 2006 |
May 23, 2006 |
- |
|
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
Dec 7, 2007 |
Oct 24, 2008 |
Declaration:
“In accordance with article 24 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Bosnia and Herzegovina postpones the implementation of its obligations under part IV of the present Optional Protocol, related to the designation of the national preventive mechanism, for a period no longer than three years.” |
|
 Brazil
|
Oct 13, 2003 |
Jan 12, 2007 |
- |
|
 Bulgaria
|
Sep 22, 2010 |
Jun 1, 2011 |
- |
|
 Burkina Faso
|
Sep 21, 2005 |
Jul 7, 2010 |
- |
|
 Burundi
|
- |
Oct 18, 2013 |
- |
|
 Cabo Verde
|
Sep 26, 2011 |
Apr 1, 2016 |
- |
|
 Cambodia
|
Sep 14, 2005 |
Mar 30, 2007 |
- |
|
 Cameroon
|
Dec 15, 2009 |
- |
- |
|
 Central African Republic
|
- |
Oct 11, 2016 |
|
|
 Chad
|
Mar 26, 2012 |
- |
- |
|
 Chile
|
Jun 6, 2005 |
Dec 12, 2008 |
- |
|
 Congo
|
Sep 29, 2008 |
- |
- |
|
 Costa Rica
|
Feb 4, 2003 |
Dec 1, 2005 |
- |
|
 Croatia
|
Sep 23, 2003 |
Apr 25, 2005 |
- |
|
 Cyprus
|
Jul 26, 2004 |
Apr 29, 2009 |
- |
|
 Czech Republic
|
Sep 13, 2004 |
Jul 10, 2006 |
- |
|
 Democratic Republic of the Congo
|
- |
Sep 23, 2010 |
- |
|
 Denmark
|
Jun 26, 2003 |
Jun 25, 2004 |
- |
1 With a territorial exclusion in respect of the Faroe Islands. Subsequently, on 29 August 2005, the Government of Denmark informed the Secretary-General of the following: "... that Denmark withdraws its declaration made upon ratification of the said Protocol to the effect that until further notice the Optional Protocol should not apply to the Faroe Islands." |
 Ecuador
|
May 24, 2007 |
Jul 20, 2010 |
- |
|
 Estonia
|
Sep 21, 2004 |
Dec 18, 2006 |
- |
|
 Finland
|
Sep 23, 2003 |
Oct 8, 2014 |
- |
|
 France
|
Sep 16, 2005 |
Nov 11, 2008 |
Declaration:
Pursuant to articles 15 and 21 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, no French authority or official shall order, apply, permit or tolerate any sanction against any person or organization for having communicated to the Subcommittee on Prevention or to its delegates or to the national preventive mechanism any information, whether true or false, and no such person or organization shall be otherwise prejudiced in any way, provided that, in the case of false information, the person or organization in question was unaware of the false nature of the information at the time of its communication and, moreover, without prejudice to the legal remedies that persons who are implicated may invoke for harm suffered as a result of the communication of false information about them. |
|
 Gabon
|
Dec 15, 2004 |
Sep 22, 2010 |
- |
|
 Georgia
|
- |
Aug 9, 2005 |
- |
|
 Germany
|
Sep 20, 2006 |
Dec 4, 2008 |
Declaration:
“The distribution of competences within the Federal Republic of Germany means that a treaty between the Länder (federal states), which requires parliamentary approval, is needed in order to establish the national preventive mechanism at Länder level. Because of this requirement, Germany shall postpone the implementation of its obligations under Part IV of the Optional Protocol. The Subcommittee will be informed as soon as possible of the date from which the national prevention mechanism is operational.” |
|
 Ghana
|
Nov 6, 2006 |
Sep 23, 2016 |
- |
|
 Greece
|
Mar 3, 2011 |
Feb 11, 2014 |
- |
|
 Guatemala
|
Sep 25, 2003 |
Jun 9, 2008 |
- |
|
 Guinea
|
Sep 16, 2005 |
- |
- |
|
 Guinea-Bissau
|
Sep 24, 2013 |
- |
|
|
 Honduras
|
Dec 8, 2004 |
May 23, 2006 |
- |
|
 Hungary
|
- |
Jan 12, 2012 |
Declaration:
“In accordance with Article 24 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Hungary declares the postponement for three years of the implementation of the obligations under Part IV of the Optional Protocol, concerning national preventive mechanisms.” |
|
 Iceland
|
Sep 24, 2003 |
Feb 20, 2019 |
- |
|
 Ireland
|
Oct 2, 2007 |
- |
- |
|
 Italy
|
Aug 20, 2003 |
Apr 3, 2013 |
- |
|
 Ivory Coast
|
- |
Mar 1, 2023 |
|
|
 Kazakhstan
|
Sep 25, 2007 |
Oct 22, 2008 |
Declaration
"In accordance with Article [24], paragraph 1 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Republic of Kazakhstan hereby postponing the implementation of its obligations under part IV of the present Optional Protocol." |
|
 Kyrgyzstan
|
- |
Dec 29, 2008 |
- |
|
 Latvia
|
- |
Dec 10, 2021 |
|
|
 Lebanon
|
- |
Dec 22, 2008 |
- |
|
 Liberia
|
- |
Sep 22, 2004 |
- |
|
 Liechtenstein
|
Jun 24, 2005 |
Nov 3, 2006 |
- |
|
 Lithuania
|
- |
Jan 20, 2014 |
- |
|
 Luxembourg
|
Jan 13, 2005 |
May 19, 2010 |
- |
|
 Madagascar
|
Sep 24, 2003 |
Sep 21, 2017 |
- |
|
 Maldives
|
Sep 14, 2005 |
Feb 15, 2006 |
- |
|
 Mali
|
Jan 19, 2004 |
May 12, 2005 |
- |
|
 Malta
|
Sep 24, 2003 |
Sep 24, 2003 |
- |
|
 Mauritania
|
Sep 27, 2011 |
Oct 3, 2012 |
- |
|
 Mauritius
|
- |
Jun 21, 2005 |
- |
|
 Mexico
|
Sep 23, 2003 |
Apr 11, 2005 |
- |
|
 Mongolia
|
Sep 24, 2013 |
Feb 12, 2015 |
- |
|
 Montenegro
|
Oct 23, 2006 |
Mar 6, 2009 |
Declaration:
The Government of Montenegro makes the following Declaration in relation to article 24 of the Optional Protocol: In accordance with the article 24 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Montenegro postpones the implementation of its obligations under part IV of the present Optional Protocol for two years after the date of the entrance into force of the Optional Protocol. |
|
 Morocco
|
- |
Nov 24, 2014 |
|
|
 Mozambique
|
- |
Jul 1, 2014 |
- |
|
 Nauru
|
- |
Jan 30, 2013 |
- |
|
 Netherlands
|
Jun 3, 2005 |
Sep 28, 2010 |
- |
|
 New Zealand
|
Sep 23, 2003 |
Mar 14, 2007 |
- |
3 With a territorial exclusion with regard to the Tokelau Islands, with the following: "... consistent with the constitutional status of Tokelau and taking into account the commitment of the Government of New Zealand to the development of self-government for Tokelau through an act of self-determination under the Charter of the United Nations, this ratification shall not extend to Tokelau unless and until a Declaration to this effect is lodged by the Government of New Zealand with the Depositary on the basis of appropriate consultation with that territory." |
 Nicaragua
|
Mar 14, 2007 |
Feb 25, 2009 |
- |
|
 Niger
|
- |
Nov 7, 2014 |
|
|
 Nigeria
|
- |
Jul 27, 2009 |
- |
|
 North Macedonia
|
Sep 1, 2006 |
Feb 13, 2009 |
Notifications made under article 17:
“In accordance with Article 17 of the Protocol, the Republic of Macedonia declares that the Ombudsman of the Republic of Macedonia is designated as a national preventive mechanism for the prevention of torture at the domestic level. The non-governmental organizations registered in the Republic of Macedonia and organizations which have acquired the status of humanitarian organizations in the Republic of Macedonia, may perform some of the competences of the national preventive mechanism, in agreement with, and with prior consent of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Macedonia.” |
|
 Norway
|
Sep 24, 2003 |
Jun 27, 2013 |
- |
|
 Panama
|
Sep 22, 2010 |
Jun 2, 2011 |
- |
|
 Paraguay
|
Sep 22, 2004 |
Dec 2, 2005 |
- |
|
 Peru
|
- |
Sep 14, 2006 |
- |
|
 Philippines
|
- |
Apr 17, 2012 |
- |
|
 Poland
|
Apr 5, 2004 |
Sep 14, 2005 |
- |
|
 Portugal
|
Feb 15, 2006 |
Jan 15, 2013 |
- |
|
 Republic of Moldova
|
Sep 16, 2005 |
Jul 24, 2006 |
- |
|
 Romania
|
Sep 24, 2003 |
Jul 2, 2009 |
Declaration:
“In accordance with Article 24, paragraph 1 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Romania declares that it postpones for three years the implementation of the obligations under Part IV of the Optional Protocol, concerning national preventive mechanisms.” |
|
 Rwanda
|
- |
Jun 30, 2015 |
|
|
 Senegal
|
Feb 4, 2003 |
Oct 18, 2006 |
- |
|
 Serbia
|
Sep 25, 2003 |
Sep 26, 2006 |
- |
|
 Sierra Leone
|
Sep 26, 2003 |
- |
- |
|
 Slovakia
|
Dec 14, 2018 |
Sep 19, 2023 |
|
|
 Slovenia
|
- |
Jan 23, 2007 |
Notifications made under article 17
"In accordance with Article 17 of the Protocol, the Republic of Slovenia declares herewith that the competencies and duties of the national preventive mechanism will be performed by the Human Rights Ombudsperson and in agreement with him/her also by non-governmental organisations registered in the Republic of Slovenia and by organisations, which acquired the status of humanitarian organisations in the Republic of Slovenia." |
|
 South Africa
|
Sep 20, 2006 |
Jun 20, 2019 |
- |
|
 South Sudan
|
- |
Apr 30, 2015 |
|
|
 Spain
|
Apr 13, 2005 |
Apr 4, 2006 |
- |
|
 Sri Lanka
|
- |
Dec 5, 2017 |
|
|
 Sweden
|
Jun 26, 2003 |
Sep 14, 2005 |
- |
|
 Switzerland
|
Jun 25, 2004 |
Sep 24, 2009 |
- |
|
 Timor-Leste
|
Sep 16, 2005 |
- |
- |
|
 Togo
|
Sep 15, 2005 |
Jul 20, 2010 |
- |
|
 Tunisia
|
- |
Jun 29, 2011 |
- |
|
 Turkey
|
Sep 14, 2005 |
Sep 27, 2011 |
- |
|
 Ukraine
|
Sep 23, 2005 |
Sep 19, 2006 |
- |
|
 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
|
Jun 26, 2003 |
Dec 10, 2003 |
- |
Territorial Application from February 24th 2014: “… the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland wishes the United Kingdom’s Ratification of the Optional Protocol be extended to the territory of the Isle of Man for whose international relations the United Kingdom is responsible. The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland considers the extension of the aforesaid Optional Protocol to the Isle of Man to take effect on the date that this notification is received for deposit …” |
 Uruguay
|
Jan 12, 2004 |
Dec 8, 2005 |
- |
|
 Venezuela
|
Jul 1, 2011 |
- |
- |
|
 Zambia
|
Sep 27, 2010 |
- |
- |
|