New Zealand has made the following reservation to the CAT:
The Government of New Zealand reserves the right to award compensation to torture victims referred to in article 14 of the Convention Against Torture only at the discretion of the Attorney-General of New Zealand.
Upon ratification, the Government of New Zealand also made the following declaration under articles 21 and 22 of the CAT:
1. In accordance with article 21, paragraph 1, of the Convention, [the Government of New Zealand declares] that it recognises the competence of the Committee Against Torture to receive and consider communications to the effect that a State Party claims that another State Party is not fulfilling its obligations under the Convention; and
2. In accordance with article 22, paragraph 1, of the Convention, [the Government of New Zealand] recognises the competence of the Committee Against Torture to receive and consider communications from or on behalf of individuals subject to its jurisdiction who claim to be victims of a violation by a State Party of the provisions of the Convention.
The Ministry of Justice is responsible for administering the CAT and its Protocol.
Monitoring
The CAT provides for:
a reporting procedure
an optional (opt-out) inquiry procedure (Article 28)
an optional individual complaints procedure (Article 22), and
an optional inter-state complaints procedure (Article 21).
The Optional Protocol to the CAT provides for:
establishment of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT), which has a mandate to visit places where persons are deprived of their liberty in the States Parties, and
an independent national preventive mechanism.
Committee Decision Concerning Communication No. 852/2017
Adopted on 4 December 2019, the United Nations Committee Against Torture made a decision concerning communication No. 852/2017 under article 22 of the Convention. The Committee can consider communications from those claiming to be victims of a violation. On 10 July 2017, the complainant Mr Zentveld, made a communication to the Committee claiming a violation of his rights under Articles 2, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the Convention. The Committee found articles 12, 13 and 14 of the Convention had been breached. The Committee asked New Zealand to publish and disseminate the decision widely.
Committee Decision Concerning Communication No. 934/2019
Adopted on 12 May 2022, the United Nations Committee Against Torture made a decision concerning communication No. 934/2019 under article 22 of the Convention. The committee can consider communications from those claiming to be victims of a violation. In this case Mr Richards, the complainant, made a communication on 13 March 2018 claiming a violation of his rights under articles 2, 10, 11, 12 and 13 and 14. The committee found articles 12, 13 and 14 of the Convention had been breached. The committee asked New Zealand to publish and disseminate the decision widely.
In November 2024, Cabinet considered the full set of recommendations from the Committee against Torture and agreed the actions the government intends to take to implement the recommendations. The proactively released Cabinet material can be accessed on the Ministry website. [PDF, 682 KB]
In July 2023, the Committee against Torture issued recommendations [PDF, 317 KB] to New Zealand following the examination of New Zealand's seventh periodic report to the Committee.
Read further documents on the United Nations Treaty Database(external link) relating to New Zealand, produced under the reporting procedure provided for by the Convention Against Torture & Other Cruel, Inhuman, Degrading Treatment or Punishment