OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE (OPCAT)
SUBCOMMITTEE ON PREVENTION OF TORTURE

Election of the members of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture to replace those whose terms are due to expire on 31 December 2008

The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture is composed of ten experts of high moral standing and competence in the field covered by Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT). Nominations for membership on the Subcommittee may be made by States parties to the Optional Protocol, in accordance with article 5 of the Optional Protocol. The article states that “the members of the Subcommittee on Prevention shall be chosen from among persons of high moral character, having proven professional experience in the field of the administration of justice, in particular criminal law, prison or police administration, or in the various fields relevant to the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty. In the composition of the Subcommittee on Prevention due consideration shall be given to equitable geographic distribution and to the representation of different forms of civilization and legal systems of the States Parties. In this composition consideration shall also be given to balanced gender representation on the basis of the principles of equality and non-discrimination. No two members of the Subcommittee on Prevention may be nationals of the same State. The members of the Subcommittee on Prevention shall serve in their individual capacity, shall be independent and impartial and shall be available to serve the Subcommittee on Prevention efficiently”.

The second meeting of States parties to the Optional Protocol will take place in Geneva on 30 October 2008. States parties will elect five Members of the Subcommittee to fill the vacancies that will expire on 31 December 2008. Nominations are due by 14 August 2008.

The current members of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture:

Name of Candidate	Nationality	Term of office
Ms. Silvia CASALE	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	2008
Mr. Mario Luis CORIOLANO	Argentina	2008
Ms. Marija DEFINIS GOJANOVIC	Croatia	2010
Mr. Zdenek HAJEK	Czech Republic	2008
Mr. Zbigniew LASOCIK	Poland	2008
Mr. Hans Draminsky PETERSEN	Denmark	2010
Mr. Victor Manuel RODRIGUEZ RESCIA	Costa Rica	2008
Mr. Miguel SARRE IGUINIZ	Mexico	2010
Mr. Wilder TAYLER SOUTO	Uruguay	2010
Mr. Leopoldo TORRES BOURSAULT	Spain	2010

The nominations and biographical data, preferably in accordance to the attached form should be submitted to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Office at Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland and in electronic version to ghabtom@ohchr.org, copy to evaldiviadefyfe@ohchr.org.

Biographical data form E | F | S

LIST OF CANDIDATES NOMINATED BY STATES PARTIES

Please click on candidates’ name to access the advance unedited versions of their CV

Name of Candidate	Nationality
Mr. Zbigniew LASOCIK	Poland
Mr. Mario Luis CORIOLANO	Argentina
Mr. Zdeněk HÁJEK	Czech Republic
Ms. Silvia CASALE	United Kingdom
Mr. Rodriguez RESCIA	Costa Rica
Mr. Emanuel CASSAR	Malta
Mr. Mandioguou NDIAYE	Senegal

Documents

Title	Symbol	Languages
Provisional agenda	CAT/OP/SP/4	A \| C \| E \| F \| R \| S
Document containing CVs of candidates	CAT/OP/SP/5	A \| C \| E \| F \| R \| S
Draft Rules of Procedures of the Meeting of States parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture	CAT/OP/SP/3	A \| C \| E \| F \| R \| S
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly - Equitable geographical distribution in the membership of the human rights treaty bodies	A/RES/59/181	A \| C \| E \| F \| R \| S