NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM DIVISION (NPMD)
Our Statutory Responsibilities
The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) is an international human rights treaty that was adopted by the United Nations on 18 December 2002. Its main objective is to provide mechanisms for the protection of basic human rights of persons who are or may be deprived of their liberty “by virtue of an order given by a public authority or at its instigation or with its acquiescence”.
At the national level, OPCAT requires State Parties to put in place a National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) the role of which also is to visit places of detention in order to regularly examine the treatment of detainees and to make recommendations to the relevant authorities so as to improve the conditions of detention of detainees and ensure that they comply with the relevant norms of the United Nations. On 21 June 2005 Mauritius acceded to the OPCAT. The NHRC was designated as the NPM for Mauritius. In 2012 Parliament enacted the National Preventive Mechanism Act (NPMA 2012) which provided for the establishment of the National Preventive Mechanism Division (NPMD) of the National Human Rights Commission (N.H.R.C). The NPMD was set up in 2014.
Since its establishment in 2014, the NPMD (Mauritius) has been entrusted with the statutory duty to act as a watchdog and ensure that detainees in prisons, police cells, detention centres, Correctional Youth Centre(s) (C.Y.C) and Rehabilitation Youth Centre(s) (R.Y.C) are treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person.
At the international level, OPCAT established the Sub-Committee for the Prevention of Torture (SPT) whose role is to visit places of detention in each of the States which has ratified the treaty (State Parties) and to make recommendations to the State Parties concerning the prevention of ill-treatment.
Role of the NPMD
The NPMD regularly visits places of detention of its own volition or following complaints made by detainees directly or through third parties. After thorough investigation, the NPMD makes appropriate recommendations to the relevant authorities.
The NPMD has recommended the installation of CCTV cameras in all the police stations to ensure security requirements of the detainees and police officers. In line with this, the NPMD has recommended masking options on the CCTV cameras which are found in the washrooms of the police stations and detention centres. The aim is primarily to safeguard the privacy of the detainees in the washrooms, while allowing a close monitoring during their custody.
Visit to Rodrigues
A team of the NPMD also visited Rodrigues from 17 to 20 December 2018. They met with the Chief Executive Officer and also had a meeting with the Rodrigues's Senior Magistrate and the Chief of Police who talked about the situation of law and order on the island. The new prison of Pointe La Gueule and the new Rehabilitation Youth Centre for boys were also visited. Finally the Commissioner for Health had the opportunity to explain the development in the health sector during the year to the team.
Places of detention visited by the NPMD as per its mandate
Prisons
Ø Central Prison, Beau Bassin
Ø New Wing Prison, Beau Bassin
Ø Women Prison, Beau Bassin
Ø Phoenix Prison (La Bastille)
Ø Eastern High Security Prison (Melrose)
Ø Grand River North West Remand Prison
Ø Petit Verger Prison
Ø Richelieu Open Prison
Ø Open Prison for Women, Beau Bassin
Ø Rodrigues Prison, Pointe La Gueule
Children in secure accommodation
Ø Correctional Youth Centre (Boys and Girls)
Ø Rehabilitation Youth Centre (Boys and Girls)
Police Detention Centres (Adults)
Ø Metropolitan Detention Centre
Ø Moka Detention Centre
Ø Vacoas Detention Centre
Ø Le Chaland Immigration Detention Centre
Police Detention Centre (Children)
Ø Petite Rivière Police Station
Police Stations
Ø Police cells in all police stations around Mauritius and Rodrigues
Detention under the mental health law:
Ø Brown Sequard Mental Health Care Centre