which they were denied. Furthermore, Amnesty International and other non-governmental organizations had reported many such cases in which evidence of torture had been produced, but there appeared to be no review of the original confessions made by the victims under police interrogation. 221. Replying to the questions raised, the representative of Mexico indicated that his Government was prepared to provide additional information on matters raised by the Committee and emphasized his Government’s commitment to the task of putting an end to torture. The representative clarified that the National Commission on Human Rights was an independent body with branches in various states and regions of the country. It consisted of representatives from various professional backgrounds and its activities were interrelated with those of the ombudsman, social bodies and non-governmental organizations. Actions of the Commission were not simply confined to investigations but extended to prosecutions and sentences. Arrest warrants followed from recommendations contained in the Commission’s reports. The Commission’s report for the period from December 1992 to June 1992, in particular, included information on the 4,503 complaints received and on violations of the rights of journalists. It also provided a detailed account of 110 recommendations made and an indication of the follow-up to the recommendations. The report also presented programmes concerning disappeared persons, the prison system and a special programme to examine violations of the rights of journalists. The representative pointed out that the reports of the National Commission on Human Rights, particularly its special reports, constituted a way of bringing pressure to bear on those responsible for torture and ill-treatment by stimulating the awareness of the public at large. Nevertheless, the impact of the new machinery could not be felt immediately. The authorities were encountering resistance at the local level as local bodies did not always find it easy to accept central State supervision and to be made accountable for their actions. 222. With regard to article 4 of the Convention, the representative provided information on prosecutions and sentences that followed investigations into human rights abuses. For example, the person responsible for the ill-treatment of a journalist named Rodolfo Morales had been sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment. With reference to the enforcement of sentences, he indicated that proceedings took a long time and illustrated this point with the case of Richard Lopez who had been tortured and died as a result in July 1990, yet those found guilty of that act had been sentenced in October 1992. They had been sentenced to 44 years’ imprisonment for homicide and abuse of authority. 223. Concerning article 10 of the Convention, the representative informed the Committee that a National Day against Torture had been proclaimed in Mexico. He also indicated that efforts were being made to stimulate awareness of human rights and that although it was difficult for such efforts to take root, non-governmental organizations were providing valuable support in this regard. 224. In connection with article 11 of the Convention, the representative explained that information on the rights of detainees and the remedies available to them for the protection of their rights had been widely disseminated. In this regard, mention was made of the circular from the Procurator General which stated that every detainee had to undergo a medical examination at the time of his arrest, and of a press communiqué, issued by the Office of the Attorney General, which had indicated that a medical examination of a detainee would be given at the time of his arrest or imprisonment and upon his release. 225. With regard to articles 12 and 13 of the Convention, the representative pointed out that under paragraph 31 of the Organic Law, a complaint of human rights abuse could be admitted, even if a complainant were unable to identify -39-