At a glance
Belarus is the only country on the European continent that still upholds and carries out the death penalty, and the only one that has not joined the Council of Europe. There is serious pressure on civil society and many human rights organisations had to either suspend their activities or move to exile. Belarus has not reformed its penitentiary system, inherited from Soviet times: there is no public oversight and no National Protection Mechanism. Following allegations that the 9 August 2020 presidential election was rigged, large peaceful demonstrations were met with extreme violence by security forces. There were countless testimonies of widespread and systematic ill-treatment and torture in detention. The OMCT and its Belarus partner, Viasna, are documenting cases for submission to UN human rights mechanisms.
At a glance
Torture in Guatemala is a structural problem, the result of unequal economic and social relations, favored by endemic patterns of discrimination against vulnerable groups such as women, indigenous peoples and rural communities, and people with disabilities. Many recent actions by the Government have worsened the violations of rights and thus weakening the Guatemalan democracy. The Committee Against Torture (CAT) has repeatedly listed the main obstacles to the correct implementation of the Convention against Torture: the persistent inadequacy of the definition of the crime of torture with the provisions of Article 1 of the Convention, a weakened Torture Prevention Mechanism and the lack of judicial independence, which all favor impunity. The prison system is also in crisis. Another problem is the excessive use of force directed at the civilian population, such as, for example, the forced evictions of many communities for the benefit of large companies. In such a con
How do States comply with international law?
The United Nations Committee Against Torture (CAT) monitors the implementation of States Parties’ obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The CAT was created in accordance with article 17 of the Convention against Torture. It is one of 10 treaty bodies attached to various human rights conventions. Please note that all CAT sessions have been postponed until 2021 due to COVID-19. Keep following this page for updates on the next sessions. You can also read our OMCT blog and OMCT E-Bulletin. Additionally, you can browse our country pages to learn about the CAT status of any and all countries in the world.