Committee Against Torture
The Committee against Torture (CAT) is a body of human rights experts that monitors implementation of the Convention by State parties. The Committee is one of eight UN-linked human rights treaty bodies. All state parties are obliged under the Convention to submit regular reports to the CAT on how rights are being implemented. Upon ratifying the Convention, states must submit a report within one year, after which they are obliged to report every four years. The Committee examines each report and addresses its concerns and recommendations to the State party in the form of "concluding observations." Under certain circumstances, the CAT may consider complaints or communications from individuals claiming that their rights under the Convention have been violated.
The CAT usually meets in April/May and November each year in Geneva. Members are elected to four-year terms by State parties and can be re-elected if nominated.
The current membership of the CAT:
| Name | State | Term Expires |
|---|---|---|
| Claudio Grossman (chair) | Chile | 2015 |
| Xuexian Wang (vice-chair) | China | 2013 |
| Essadia Belmir (vice-chair) | Morocco | 2013 |
| Felice D. Gaer (vice-chair) | USA | 2015 |
| Nora Sveaass (rapporteur) | Norway | 2013 |
| Satyabhoosun Gupt Domah | Mauritius | 2015 |
| Alessio Bruni | Italy | 2013 |
| George Tugushi | Georgia | 2015 |
| Abdoulaye Gaye | Senegal | 2015 |
| Fernando Mariño Menéndez | Spain | 2013 |
Read more about this topic: United Nations Convention Against Torture
Famous quotes containing the words committee and/or torture:
“A committee is organic rather than mechanical in its nature: it is not a structure but a plant. It takes root and grows, it flowers, wilts, and dies, scattering the seed from which other committees will bloom in their turn.”
—C. Northcote Parkinson (1909–1993)
“When a man of genius is denied of his great love, he goes mad. His brain, instead of being clear to do his work, is tortured, so he begins to think of torture. Torture for those who have tortured him.”
—David Boehm, and Louis Friedlander. Dr. Richard Vollin (Bela Lugosi)