Federal Office of Justice
Address
Bundesrain 20
3003 Bern
http://www.ofj.admin.ch/e/index.html
Contact person
Frank Schürmann
031 322 41 50
frank dot schuermann at bj dot admin dot ch
Further contacts
Adrian Scheidegger
031 322 47 90
adrian dot scheidegger at bj dot admin dot ch
Operating range
- National
Relevant duties in the context of human rights
- Representing the Swiss government in appeal proceedings before the European Court of Human Rights and the UN Committee against Torture as well as in Steering and Expert Committees, inter alia, of the Council of Europe
- Drafting and submitting the periodic reports under Article 40 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 19 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
- Liaison office for the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)
- Systematic screening of the compatibility of draft legislation with the standards of international human rights instruments
Main work in the human rights field
- legal expertise
Issues our organisation works on
- Torture / inhuman treatment
- Deprivation of liberty / custody (preventive detention) / penal institutions
- Political rights
- Procedural law
International Reference
UN
- Human Rights Committee (HRC)
- Committee Against Torture (CAT)
Council of Europe
- European Court of Human Rights
- European Committee for the Prevention of Torture(CPT)
Current projects with human rights focus
- Optional Protocol to the (UN) Convention Against Torture and Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Working Group concerning the implementation at the domestic level
Publications on human rights issues
- Second periodic report submitted under Article 40 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; update as of 30 September 2001
- Fourth periodic report submitted under Article 19 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment