In this episode, Salvatore Zappalà and Giulia Pinzauti discuss the contribution of Antonio Cassese (‘Nino’) to the Committee for the Prevention of Torture of the Council of Europe (CPT) with Antonio Marchesi, a renowned expert on the prevention of torture, who at the time of Nino’s election as CPT President was writing his PhD on torture under Nino’s supervision and then became President of Amnesty International Italy.

Nino describes an inspection to a detention unit. His friend and former legal officer at the Yugoslav Tribunal, the late John Jones, tells the story of Nino inspecting a cell in the UN detention unit. Andrew Clapham reads an excerpt explaining why Nino chose to take part in the Committee’s work, and more generally to take an active role in the protection of human rights.

As its first President, Nino was a driving force behind the Committee’s institutionalisation and played a major role in prompting States to publish the Committee’s (otherwise confidential) reports.  The co-hosts discuss the Committee’s powers and its role in inducing states to comply with their international obligations.