The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has concluded an Exchange of Letters with the International Criminal Court (ICC) to monitor the treatment of persons sentenced by the Court.

The Exchange of Letters provides that the CPT will assist the ICC in the monitoring of persons sentenced by the ICC where the person concerned is imprisoned in a member State of the Council of Europe which has specifically indicated the CPT as the competent monitoring body in the bilateral agreement concluded with the ICC regarding the enforcement of the sentence. The Exchange of Letters entered into force on 9 November 2017. The CPT will conduct the monitoring through visits organized in accordance with the procedures set out in Article 7 of the Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The CPT’s reports will be provided to the ICC by the State of Enforcement or by the Committee, with the consent of the State of Enforcement.

In welcoming the agreement with the ICC, the President of the CPT, Mykola Gnatovskyy stated, “The fact that all persons who are imprisoned are subjected to external monitoring of their treatment and conditions of detention is a fundamental safeguard within Europe. It is important that international tribunals live up to the high standards that they demand of States in upholding individual rights. In implementing this agreement, the CPT will continue to work with the European States concerned to ensure that persons deprived of their liberty are treated with respect and dignity.”

The President of the Court, Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi welcomed the agreement between the Court and the Committee. She stated, “The Court will benefit from the long-standing expertise of the Committee in the monitoring of conditions of detention of persons deprived of their liberty, including persons sentenced by other international criminal tribunals,” and added, “The Committee’s offer of assistance is an additional and welcomed form of cooperation which the Court can rely on in the enforcement of sentences. I take this opportunity to reiterate my call upon States Parties to consider accepting sentenced persons in their territory to give full effect to the Court’s sentences.”

Exchange of Letters between ICC and CPT 

Source: Council of Europe