Published on 1 February 2026

Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment obliges the states parties to prevent and punish acts of torture. It was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1984. Switzerland acceded to the Convention on 2 February 1986.

The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) obliges the states parties to take all necessary measures to prevent and punish torture and cruel treatment. Persons in detention are to be protected against attacks on their physical and mental integrity.

The convention includes, among others, the following rights:

  • prohibits torture in all circumstances
  • prohibits the extradition of persons to a state where there are substantial grounds for believing that she or he would be in danger of being subjected to torture (principle of non-refoulement);
  • provides a detailed definition of torture
  • regulates the punishment and extradition of torturers
  • regulates the prevention and clarification of cases of torture

The CAT was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1984 and came into force on 26 June 1987. Switzerland acceded to the Convention on 2 February 1986, where it came into force on 26 June 1987.

Review mechanism

The States parties to the Convention are required to report regularly to the Committee against Torture, the competent monitoring body, on the measures they have taken to comply with their obligations.

The first report on the implementation of the Convention is due one year after its entry into force; thereafter, a four-year reporting cycle applies. Since 1994, the Committee has issued concluding observations and recommendations.

In May 2014, Switzerland prepared its seventh report to date on the implementation of the Convention against Torture under the simplified reporting procedure (“Simplified Reporting Procedure”), i.e. on the basis of a list of issues drawn up by the Committee. The Committee subsequently examined the report during its 55th session on 3 and 4 August 2015 and transmitted its concluding observations and recommendations to Switzerland on 13 August 2015.

In July 2019, Switzerland submitted its eighth periodic report on the implementation of the Convention against Torture. The Committee examined the report during its 77th session on 12 and 13 July 2023 and transmitted its concluding observations and recommendations to Switzerland on 24 July 2023.

The Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) is responsible for Switzerland’s state reports on the implementation of the obligations arising from the Convention against Torture.

Other review mechanisms

In addition to the country reporting procedure, the Committee against Torture is empowered to carry out an inquiry if there are reasons to suspect that torture is being systematically practised (Art. 20 CAT). The Convention also provides for a voluntary interstate complaints procedure (Art. 21 CAT) and a voluntary individual complaints procedure (Art. 22 CAT).

Switzerland has recognised the Committee's authority to deal with interstate and individual complaints.

Optional protocol

On 18 December 2002 the UN General Assembly adopted an optional protocol to the Convention that provides for a preventive procedure whereby national and international bodies visit and review places of detention on a regular basis as a preventive measure. The protocol came into force on 22 June 2006.

Switzerland ratified the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture on 24 September 2009, where it came into effect one month later on 24 October.

Kontakt

Sektion Menschenrechte, Rechtsstaatlichkeit und internationales Recht der Terrorismusbekämpfung