The Swiss government has ratified the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention Against Torture.
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The move will provide Switzerland with an independent body to monitor the rights of people in detention. The body will also make recommendations and comment on existing or proposed legislation.
The Swiss branch of Amnesty International welcomed the news. The group has called on the government to set up the federal commission as quickly as possible.
Amnesty wants to ensure the 12-member panel includes lawyers, doctors and torture specialists as well as representatives of the largest ethnic groups found in Swiss jails.
The protocol has been in force since 2006, but it was only approved by Swiss parliament last March.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.