August 27th, 2025: A warm welcome to our new students for the Kovler Project Against Torture for Fall 2025! This will be the first week of classes for our new cohort, and we are excited to see all that they will accomplish in the Kovler Project Against Torture and the corresponding class on Torture Prohibition in International Law. More information on this year’s Kovler Scholars can be found at the Current Students page.  Students will work in groups and analyze each state party’s obligations under the Convention Against Torture as well as their submissions regarding these obligations to the Committee Against Torture. In these groups, they will conduct research to assess each country’s compliance with the Convention Against Torture, identifying where state parties are compliant, non-compliant, or making progress on their torture-related obligations. The Convention covers a broad range of topics, including state parties’ obligations to community members placed in vulnerable situations, and to the commitment of a torture-free society.

Students will then produce a Confidential Supplemental List of Issues to present to the UN Committee Against Torture on each state party’s submission. The “SLOIs” are a summary of the students’ research and provide a guideline to the Committee members on relevant issues to address with each state party. Kovler participants provide invaluable assistance to the Committee and help facilitate assessment and recommendations to each state party. For Instance, Mr. Huawen Liu, Member of the UN Committee Against Torture observed that “the shadow reports from the Kovler students are of high quality, both informative and meaningful. I appreciate the efforts and the high spirits of the young generation. It is helpful and encouraging!”

This year, our students will consider the state party submissions of the following countries to the UN Committee Against Torture’s 83rd  Session: Albania, Argentina, Bahrain, and Israel.

The Kovler Project provides students with a unique and invaluable opportunity to engage directly with experts who have firsthand experience in human rights law and anti-torture work, preparing them for careers where their knowledge and skills can have a significant impact in the fight against torture worldwide.

For students interested in applying for the next Fall semester, please visit our How To Apply page. Applications for Fall 2026 will be open from January to February 2026. Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of this and contribute to meaningful change!

To stay up to date on the latest KPAT news, be sure to follow our social media accounts: Instagram - @kovlerproject; LinkedIn – Kovler Project Against Torture.