[JURIST] The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) [official websites] suspended its delegation to Azerbaijan Thursday citing [official statement] the government’s prevention of access to a number of locations where individuals are being detained. Azerbaijan is a party to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT). Under OPCAT, the SPT has a mandate to “conduct on-site visits and make recommendations to the authorities of State Parties to establish effective safeguards against the risk of torture and ill-treatment in places of deprivation of liberty.” According to the SPT statement, despite “assurances of unrestricted access to all places of deprivation of liberty by Azerbaijani authorities,” the delegation was barred from touring locations where suspected violations occurred. Under the SPT’s mandate, the subcommittee provides States with confidential recommendations and observations drawn from their unrestricted investigation of detention facilities and policies.

Political and social unrest in countries around the globe has led to numerous allegations of torture and illegal detention. Earlier this week the European Court of Human Rights [official website] ruled [JURIST report] 13-4 that the UK did not violate international law in regards to the capture and detention of Iraqi national Tarek Hassan. Earlier this month Geneva-based pan-Arab rights group Alkarama [advocacy website] claimed in an open statement [JURIST report] to the UN that Egyptian authorities have been complicit in the torture and sexual abuse of 52 teenage detainees. At the beginning of September Amnesty International [advocacy group] criticized the Mexican government for its failure to adequately investigate allegations of torture [JURIST report].