UN Panel Urges Mozambique to Strengthen Torture Prevention Mechanisms
The SPT delegation evaluated Mozambique’s implementation of its obligations under OPCAT, which it ratified in 2013, and reviewed conditions of detention across the country.
The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) has urged the Government of Mozambique to intensify efforts to prevent torture and ill-treatment in detention facilities, after finding that little progress has been made since its last mission nearly a decade ago.
Concluding its second visit to the country, the SPT expressed concern that the National Human Rights Commission (Comissão Nacional dos Direitos Humanos) — which serves as Mozambique’s National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) — has not yet been sufficiently empowered or resourced to carry out its mandate effectively.
The NPM is responsible for conducting regular, independent visits to places of detention, including prisons and police facilities, to monitor treatment and prevent torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment.
Assessing Progress Since the 2016 Visit
The SPT delegation evaluated Mozambique’s implementation of its obligations under OPCAT, which it ratified in 2013, and reviewed conditions of detention across the country. Their assessment compared the current situation to the findings from their first visit in 2016, which had already raised serious concerns about overcrowding, lack of oversight, and reports of mistreatment in police custody.
Despite the passage of time, the Subcommittee noted that many of its earlier recommendations remain unimplemented, with key structural weaknesses continuing to impede effective prevention of torture.
“While we regret that recommendations made following our first visit remain unimplemented, we believe that Mozambique now stands at a pivotal moment to act,” said Chris Nissen, head of the SPT delegation.
He emphasized that the country’s ongoing constitutional reform process represents an important opportunity to strengthen the legal foundation of the National Preventive Mechanism and align national laws with international human rights standards.
Opportunity for Reform During Constitutional Process
The SPT underscored that embedding the National Preventive Mechanism in Mozambique’s constitutional and legal framework would be a major step toward compliance with OPCAT requirements. This includes ensuring the NPM’s independence, adequate funding, and technical capacity to operate effectively and without interference.
“The ongoing constitutional reform process presents a real opportunity to enshrine the NPM in law, in full compliance with OPCAT,” Nissen said. “Doing so would mark a significant milestone in the country’s commitment to preventing torture and ill-treatment.”
The Subcommittee also recommended that Mozambique implement comprehensive reforms in the criminal justice and corrections systems — particularly to improve detention conditions, strengthen legal safeguards for detainees, and establish systematic monitoring mechanisms.
Visits Across the Country and Cooperation with the NPM
During the mission, the SPT delegation visited a range of police stations, remand centers, and prison facilities throughout Mozambique. Some visits were conducted jointly with representatives of the National Human Rights Commission, reflecting the NPM’s ongoing but limited engagement in oversight functions.
In their observations, the experts pointed to overcrowding, poor sanitation, inadequate medical care, and insufficient training of detention staff as persistent issues undermining the rights of people deprived of liberty.
The SPT delegation reaffirmed that sustained institutional reform and political will are needed to ensure that commitments to human rights are translated into practical protections.
“We urge the Government to fully implement our recommendations to improve conditions of detention and strengthen anti-torture measures in practice,” Nissen added. “The SPT remains ready to assist Mozambique in achieving these objectives.”
Call for Transparency and Cooperation
In line with its standard practice, the SPT will submit a confidential report to the Government of Mozambique containing detailed observations and recommendations from the visit. The experts encouraged the authorities to make the report public, as several other countries have done, in order to foster transparency and accountability.
The Subcommittee also urged the government to engage constructively with the UN on implementing its recommendations, noting that genuine cooperation between national authorities and international mechanisms is essential to eliminate torture and ill-treatment.
“Strengthening an effective NPM is urgently needed to ensure sustained oversight and protection of the rights of people deprived of liberty,” the statement read.
Composition of the Delegation
The mission to Mozambique was led by Christoffel (Chris) Nissen of South Africa, and included Uju Agomoh (Nigeria), Paul Lam Shang Leen (Mauritius), and Julia Kozma (Austria), supported by two Human Rights Officers from the SPT Secretariat.
Their visit reflects the SPT’s continuing engagement in Africa, where it works with member states to build national prevention mechanisms, provide technical guidance, and assist governments in implementing OPCAT obligations.
Preventing Torture Through National and Global Partnerships
The SPT, established under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, is mandated to visit places of detention worldwide and advise states on measures to prevent torture and ill-treatment. Its approach emphasizes prevention through cooperation, focusing on building independent, well-resourced national mechanisms that can identify and address risks before abuses occur.
Mozambique’s continued engagement with the SPT, even amid slow reform, signals an opportunity to renew political commitment and bring domestic law and practice into alignment with international norms.
As the Subcommittee concluded, effective prevention of torture requires not only legal reforms but also cultural and institutional change—a shift from punitive control toward accountability, transparency, and respect for human dignity.
“Mozambique’s progress will be measured not by promises, but by protection — by the safety and dignity of every person behind bars,” Nissen said.
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