Preventing and combating torture in places of deprivation of liberty in Africa: winning approaches and strategies

For decades, persistent cases of torture have been recorded in Africa. These cases are generally documented either in places of deprivation of liberty but also during public demonstrations, acts of police blunders, the latter recognized by the ECOWAS Court of Justice in the decision condemning the Togolese State in the case opposing it to Dame Sessi Mélé. Clearly, places of deprivation of liberty, in particular places of police custody, are identified as places where cases of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment are recurrent. However, the Convention against Torture prohibits torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in its Article 2. The general observations of the Committee against Torture, following the examination of several countries, bear witness to this. Although the majority of African countries have now ratified the Convention against Torture, challenges persist in general, particularly in police custody, regarding the practice of torture and the situation of survivors. In light of this, civil society organizations, including those members of the SOS-Torture network, are taking action to prevent and combat torture, particularly in places of detention.