(e) The liberty to choose the places they want to visit and the persons they want to interview;
(f) The right to have contacts with the Subcommittee on Prevention, to send it information and to meet
with it.
Article 21
1. No authority or official shall order, apply, permit or tolerate any sanction against any person or
organization for having communicated to the national preventive mechanism any information, whether
true or false, and no such person or organization shall be otherwise prejudiced in any way.
2. Confidential information collected by the national preventive mechanism shall be privileged. No
personal data shall be published without the express consent of the person concerned.
Article 22
The competent authorities of the State Party concerned shall examine the recommendations of the
national preventive mechanism and enter into a dialogue with it on possible implementation measures.
Article 23
The States Parties to the present Protocol undertake to publish and disseminate the annual reports of
the national preventive mechanisms.
Part V: Declaration
Article 24
1. Upon ratification, States Parties may make a declaration postponing the implementation of their
obligations either under part III or under part IV of the present Protocol.
2. This postponement shall be valid for a maximum of three years. After due representations made by
the State Party and after consultation with the Subcommittee on Prevention, the Committee against
Torture may extend that period for an additional two years.
Part VI: Financial Provisions
Article 25
1. The expenditure incurred by the Subcommittee on Prevention in the implementation of the present
Protocol shall be borne by the United Nations.
2. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall provide the necessary staff and facilities for the
effective performance of the functions of the Subcommittee under the present Protocol.
Article 26
1. A Special Fund shall be set up in accordance with the relevant procedures of the General Assembly,
to be administered in accordance with the financial regulations and rules of the United Nations, to help
finance the implementation of the recommendations made by the Subcommittee on Prevention after a
visit to a State Party, as well as education programmes of the national preventive mechanisms.
2. The Special Fund may be financed through voluntary contributions made by Governments,
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and other private or public entities.
Part VII: Final Provisions
Article 27
1. The present Protocol is open for signature by any State that has signed the Convention.
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