The Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Africa (the Committee), on behalf of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission), wishes to congratulate the Republic of Angola on its ratification of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) on 02 October 2019, making it the 51st African State Party to the UNCAT.
UNCAT complements Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights by elaborating on the steps required to realise the absolute prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and treatment (torture and other ill-treatment).
The Committee welcomes this significant and commendable step towards the absolute prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment in the Republic of Angola.
While congratulating the Government of the Republic of Angola on its ratification of the UNCAT, the Committee urges the country to take the necessary legislative and other measures to ensure implementation of the provisions of UNCAT.
The Committee seizes this opportunity to call upon the remaining three (3) African States to also ratify the UNCAT, in order to realise regional universal ratification in the continent. The Committee encourages the regional universal ratification of UNCAT and stands ready to assist any State Party in the ratification process.
