To mark the 35th anniversary of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), a photo exhibition “Behind the Walls: the CPT in action” was launched on 7 April 2025 at the Palais de l’Europe, illustrating the CPT’s vital preventive work in places of deprivation of liberty across Europe.

As part of this commemoration, the Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH) contributed a dedicated display highlighting its work on eradicating the trade in goods used for torture and the death penalty. The CDDH’s poster, presented alongside the CPT’s exhibition, draws attention to Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec(2021)2 and ongoing efforts to support its implementation by member States.

The exhibition reflects the collective commitment of both the CPT and the CDDH – bodies within the Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law (DG1) – to uphold Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights and to prevent and combat torture and ill-treatment in all forms, including through the regulation of abusive goods and equipment.

The CDDH will continue to support multilateral efforts towards a torture-free trade.