We also list, to the best of our knowledge, the measures in national law taken by African States to criminalize torture: according to article 4 of the CAT, each State Party shall ensure that all acts of torture are offences under its criminal law.
Torture Prevention Database
The torture prevention database tracks progress on signatures and ratifications, by African States, of the two major instruments against torture, namely the United Nations Convention against Torture (CAT) and its Optional Protocol (OPCAT),which establishes international and national visiting mechanisms to places of deprivation of liberty in order prevent torture and other forms of ill-treatment.
Criminalization of TortureLarger Image
| States which have legislation criminalizing torture | 10 | |
| States which have pending legislation criminalizing torture | 7 | |
| States which have no legislation criminalizing torture or whose status is unknown | 37 |
CAT & OPCATLarger Image
| States that have ratified both CAT and OPCAT | 11 | |
| States that have ratified CAT and signed OPCAT | 9 | |
| States that have ratified CAT | 22 | |
| States that have signed but not ratified CAT | 5 | |
| States that have neither signed nor ratified CAT | 7 |