Inaugurating a photo exhibition to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, reiterated the significant progress of the CPT’s work and the fundamental role it plays in documenting the conditions found in police stations, prisons, psychiatric hospitals, immigration centres, care homes, and facilities for children.

“This work has been possible thanks to the CPT’s rare access – and the trust that comes with it”, he underlined, in the presence of Theodoros Roussopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly, and CPT President Alan Mitchell.

The exhibition, presented in three chapters, highlights the CPT's core mission: visiting places of detention and gathering information, engaging in dialogue with states in a spirit of cooperation, and documenting the living conditions and treatment of persons deprived of their liberty. It bears witness to 35 years of visits dedicated to the prevention of torture and ill-treatment, while ensuring respect for the human rights and dignity of detained persons.

The most striking photos from the exhibition are available online in the new Council of Europe album on Detention and the Prevention of Torture.