he National Human Rights Commission of Lebanon, including the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (NHRC-CPT), held a meeting with the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) at its headquarters in Geneva, in the framework of its participation in the General Assembly of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI).
The meeting brought together Ms. Nicole Hogg, Secretary General of the APT, and Mr. Ben Buckland, Senior Adviser, with the NHRC-CPT delegation composed of Dr. Fadi Gerges, President of the Commission, and Mr. Bassam Al Kantar, Commissioner for International Relations.
Discussions focused on the risks of torture and ill-treatment in the context of conflict and mass displacement in Lebanon, where the Commission presented preliminary findings from the monitoring work carried out by its International Humanitarian Law Committee, highlighting growing concerns related to the protection of persons in vulnerable situations amid the current security and humanitarian context.
The two parties also explored avenues for strategic cooperation, including the development of joint training programmes, support to detention monitoring and visiting teams, and the exchange of expertise in developing practical tools and guidelines for the prevention of torture and ill-treatment, in line with international standards and best practices.
In addition, the meeting addressed advocacy strategies to combat torture and ill-treatment in Lebanon, including initiatives aimed at amending the national anti-torture law and strengthening accountability mechanisms to ensure that perpetrators are effectively prosecuted, in accordance with Lebanon’s international obligations.
This meeting builds on an established partnership between the Commission and the APT, dating back to the early stages of the Commission’s establishment. In 2018, members of the Commission participated in training programmes and study visits in Geneva organized by the APT, which included sessions on torture prevention mechanisms, detention monitoring, institutional capacity-building, and meetings with the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and international experts . This early cooperation contributed to embedding a preventive approach and strengthening the Commission’s work in line with international standards.
About the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT):
The APT is a leading international organization dedicated to building a world free from torture, with over 40 years of experience in advancing prevention. It has played a key role in establishing a global system for the prevention of torture, grounded in independent evidence and specialized expertise, with a particular focus on all places of deprivation of liberty. The APT works through partnerships and collaboration with states, national institutions, and civil society, recognizing that effective prevention requires collective and sustained efforts.
In Lebanon, the APT played an early and significant role following the country’s ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) in December 2008, making Lebanon the first State in the Middle East and North Africa region to do so. During its 2009 mission, the APT engaged with government officials, parliamentarians, and civil society to explore options for establishing a National Preventive Mechanism (NPM), including the integration of this mandate within a National Human Rights Institution, an approach that later informed Lebanon’s current institutional framework.
Both parties reaffirmed the importance of continued cooperation and coordination, with a view to strengthening the national system for the prevention of torture in Lebanon, protecting human dignity, and promoting the rule of law.
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