SPT issues advice to states regarding COVID-19

The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT) published new advice to state parties to OPCAT and National Preventative Mechanisms regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  Among its recommendations were...

IPRT Submission to Ireland’s third UN Universal Periodic Review

IPRT has recommended that Ireland ratify OPCAT and create a National Preventative Mechanism in its submission to Ireland’s third UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The submission focuses on the protection and promotion of human rights in Irish prisons and Oberstown...

Justice Plan 2021

Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD, has published the Department of Justice Strategy Statement 2021 – 2013, which sets out five high-level strategic goals for the Department. Minister also published a Justice Plan for 2021.The Justice Plan is the first of a series...

Draft Programme for Government pledges to ratify and implement UN OPCAT

The draft Programme for Government agreed between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party on the 15th of June contains a promising proposal to ratify the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture. Within the ‘Building Stronger and Safer Communities’...