About us

An independent body

Following the ratification of Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT), adopted on 18 December 2002 at the fifty-seventh session of the General Assembly of the United Nations by resolution A/RES/57/199, French Parliament passed a law (loi N° 2007-1545) to set up a “contrôleur général des lieux de privation de liberté”, an independent public body in charge to control all the places where people are deprived of liberty, and check that all the fundamental rights of people in these places are. The Parliament gives him the statute of an independent public body.

Under these considerations, the “contrôleur général des lieux de privation de liberté” has to accomplish his tasks, with a whole independence:

• He cannot receive any instruction from any authority;
• He is nominated for six years, and cannot be neither removed nor renewed;
• He cannot be prosecuted for his opinions he formulates or for the actions he carries out in his functions;
• He is not allowed to carry out any other duties or elected mandates;

The “contrôleur général des lieux de privation de liberté” is helped by an experienced and multi-disciplinary team, which is made up of:

• A general secretary;
• Twelve full time appointed “contrôleurs”;
• Nine part time “contrôleurs”, who give their expertise to the job;
• Four assistants, in charge of management.

The “contrôleur général”, and all his team, are compelled to professional secrecy. They also are bounded by an absolute duty of impartiality.

Download the Law 2007-1545 of 30 October 2007 (Consolidated version as on 24 December 2014)

Download the brochure

The tasks of the CGLPL

Field of competence: places of deprivation of freedom

The “contrôleur général” can visit at any time, each place where people are deprived of liberty: prisons, hospitals where people stay without their consent, places of custody or customs detention, centers for detention of foreigners, and vehicles which are used to transport people deprived of freedom.

Central tasks: taking care of the respect of fundamental rights

“Contrôleur général” takes looks after human treatment and dignity for people who are deprived of freedom. He has three main tasks:

• To make sure that rights which are inherent in human dignity are enforced;
• To make sure that a good balance is established between fundamental rights enforcement of people who are deprived of freedom and observations on public order and security;
• But finally and especially, to prevent any violation of their fundamental rights;

Within the framework of his task, the “contrôleur général” takes care both to living conditions in detention or retention centers, or hospitalization and to working conditions of staff and other assistants, in the sense that they necessary impact the efficiency and the nature of relations with the people who are deprived of freedom.

Ways and mean

• The “contrôleur général” freely chooses places where he, or his team, will make controls;
• Visits can be scheduled (in this situation, the head of the controlled place is warned a few days before) or unexpected;
• Authorities can’t be against a visit, apart from very serious reason, such as national security, natural disaster or heavy troubles in the visited place;
• The “contrôleur général” can obtain any information or file which are necessary to his task, with a few exceptions ( national
• The “contrôleur général” sends to the ministers who are in responsibility of the visited place, a report, then recommandations he may publish;

Each year, he submits a report to the President of Republic and to the Parliement. This report is public.

Auxiliary means

• The “contrôleur général” can notify an action to prosecutors, if, during his activity, he is informed of any crime;
• He can also ask disciplinary penalties to the proper public authority, if he is informed of professional misconducts.