What is the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture?
The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) is an international human rights treaty ratified by the United States in 2008. It is a protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which was adopted by the United Nations in 1984. The purpose of the OPCAT is to protect individuals from inhuman or degrading treatment and torture in places where individuals are deprived of their liberty, such as prisons and detention centers. It requires governments to set up independent and regular inspections of these places with the aim of preventing torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. In Washington, the OPCAT is implemented through the Washington State Legislature, which passed the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture in 2009. Through this legislation, the State of Washington created a Washington OPCAT Commission, which periodically inspects places where individuals are deprived of liberty, such as adult and juvenile correctional facilities, jails, and detention centers, in order to assess and report on the conditions of confinement and make recommendations for improvement. The OPCAT is an important part of international human rights law, and its implementation in Washington is necessary to protect the rights of individuals who are deprived of their liberty. By conducting inspections and making recommendations for improvement, the OPCAT ensures that individuals who are detained and imprisoned receive humane treatment.
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