Consultation on OPCAT – Jul 2017
The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission has made a submission to the Australian Human Rights Commission’s consultation on the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT).
About the submission
OPCAT is a human rights treaty that assists in the implementation of the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and helps member countries meet their obligations under CAT.
The key aim of OPCAT is to prevent the mistreatment of people in closed environments.
The Australian Human Rights Commission will provide an interim report to government in September, and publish a final report in 2018. The government has indicated it will ratify OPCAT in December this year. It is envisaged much of the detail of how OPCAT will operate in Australia will be bedded down following ratification.