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This project aims to support Ireland and Cyprus in strengthening their frameworks for monitoring the rights of individuals deprived of liberty, in compliance with the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) and other international human rights standards.

Ireland is preparing to ratify OPCAT, with plans to establish a National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) to provide independent oversight of police and prison detention, addressing existing gaps in police accountability. It is envisaged that the Inspectorate of Prisons will become the Inspectorate of Places of Detention and be designated as the NPM for the criminal justice sector.

Cyprus has designated its Ombudsman as the NPM but requires further capacity building, especially in areas like immigration, psychiatric institutions, social care homes, etc.

The project fosters collaboration between these two countries and other EU member states, focusing on awareness, capacity building, and the exchange of best practices to ensure the protection of detainees' rights.

The expected long-term effect of this Project (impact) is a notably improved respect for the rights of persons deprived of their liberty.

• Ireland and Cyprus strengthen their instruments for effective monitoring of the rights of persons deprived of their liberty.

• Irish authorities adopt the operational framework and instruments for the establishment of a NPM upon ratification of OPCAT.

• Respective stakeholders have the requisite level of awareness about the functions of the NPM. Stakeholders in Ireland are prepared for the establishment and designation of the NPM.

• The Cypriot NPM monitors mandate-covered types of deprivation of liberty using better operational tools.

• Ireland and Cyprus exchange with other EU members states knowledge, experience, practice in the prevention of torture and ill-treatment to better deliver their respective mandates.

  • Assessing existing national legislation and policies, as well as applicable international standards and practices
  • Preparing monitoring frameworks
  • Developing or adopting methodologies on detention topics of interest
  • Producing an expert report on the proposed OPCAT legislation for Ireland
  • Designing and launching awareness raising actions and campaigns
  • Developing and delivering training courses
  • Organising peer-to-peer work exchanges for the beneficiary NPMs, as well as visits to Ireland and Cyprus for other NPMs
  • Office of the Inspector of Prisons (OIP), Ireland
  • Commissioner for Administration and the Protection of Human Rights (Ombudsman), also designated as the NPM, Cyprus

Project information

  • Duration: 24 months (12 September 2024 – 11 September 2026)
  • Country: Ireland, Cyprus
  • Funding: This project is co-funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument and implemented by the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the European Commission.

Retour Participation in the third IHREC information session on OPCAT

Participation in the third IHREC information session on OPCAT

On 11 March 2026, the EU-CoE Joint Project "Technical Support for More Effective and Resilient NPM" facilitated the engagement of an independent expert to provide key insights on discrimination and structural vulnerabilities in detention, and their relevance to the prevention of torture and ill-treatment. The expert's contributions were integral to an information session on the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture (OPCAT), with a particular focus on its implications for monitoring the rights of people with disabilities.

The information session was organised by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), in partnership with the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT). This event constituted the third and final instalment of a series of workshops convening stakeholders involved in the future establishment of a National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) in Ireland.

The Project's ongoing collaboration with IHREC, as the future coordinating body of the multi-member Ireland NPM, continues to provide essential technical support. This cooperation aims to foster the establishment and operational readiness of the mechanism, in line with the Council of Europe's commitment to promoting human rights and the rule of law across Europe.

Dublin 11 March 2026
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