A/HRC/22/53/Add.2
(f)
Expedite prompt, impartial and thorough investigation into all
allegations of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
without the need for a written complaint, in accordance with article 13 of the
Convention against Torture; institute procedures for ex officio investigation of any
case of torture or ill-treatment raised by any means whatsoever, even when victims do
not lodge complaints through the prescribed legal channels;
(g)
Establish an effective and independent criminal investigation and
prosecution mechanism with no connection to the body investigating or prosecuting
the case against the alleged victim; and implement the right to complain and ensure
that defendants who first appear before the mechanism have a fair opportunity to
raise allegations of torture or ill-treatment they may have experienced;
(h)
Invest in the fields of psychiatry and forensic medicine, as well as in
specific training for forensic experts on the assessment of ill-treatment and torture, in
line with international standards, including the Istanbul Protocol; further develop the
forensic capacity of the prosecution and judiciary;
(i)
Ensure that medical staff in places of detention are truly independent
from law enforcement and trained in the Istanbul Protocol; allow access to
independent medical examinations without interference by or the presence of law
enforcement agents or prosecutors; and ensure timely access to independent medical
check-ups at the time of arrest, upon transfer to another place of detention or upon
request;
(j)
Open judicial proceedings into all cases revealed by the Equity and
Reconciliation Commission of past abuses during the “years of lead” (1956–1999);
(k)
Ensure that the principle of non-refoulement contained in article 3 of the
Convention against Torture is fully implemented, including in cases involving
migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, so that persons are not extradited to any
country where they may be at risk of torture;
(l)
Provide the Ministry of the Interior with all the logistic and financial
support necessary to implement the envisaged project of the Minister of Justice and
Liberties to video record all statements made to the police during investigation and
interrogation. Such measures should only be seen as complementary to legal
representation during all stages of the interrogation process;
(m) Introduce independent, effective and accessible complaint mechanisms in
all places of detention by means of the installation of telephone hotlines or confidential
complaints boxes, and ensure that every detainee has unimpeded and unsupervised
access to the prosecutor upon request and that complainants are not subject to
reprisals;
(n)
Take concrete measures to speed up the ratification of the Optional
Protocol to the Convention against Torture, and subsequently establish an effective
national preventive mechanism in accordance with article 17 of the Optional Protocol;
and initiate an inclusive consultation process of all actors involved, including civil
society organizations;
(o)
Ensure budgetary allocations to equip the national preventive
mechanism with human and other resources sufficient to enable it to inspect all places
of detention regularly, receive complaints, initiate prosecutions and follow them
through to their conclusion;
(p)
Increase trust and cooperation between the State and civil society so that
all non-governmental organizations are able to work more effectively with national
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