CAT/C/SYR/CO/1
well as on the concrete measures adopted to prevent and combat such phenomena (arts. 1,
2, 4, 12 and 16).
The Committee recommends the adoption of a specific law against trafficking in
persons which determines the crimes and adequate penalties and foresees the
adoption of measures to facilitate the rehabilitation and social integration of victims of
human trafficking. The State party should increase its efforts to prevent and combat
the trafficking of women and children, including by implementing the current laws
combating trafficking, providing protection for victims and ensuring their access to
medical, social, rehabilitative and legal services, including counselling services, as
appropriate. The State party should also create adequate conditions for victims to
exercise their right to make complaints, conduct prompt, impartial and effective
investigations into all allegations of trafficking and ensure that perpetrators are
brought to justice and punished with penalties appropriate to the nature of their
crimes.
Redress and compensation for victims of torture, including rehabilitation
29.
The Committee notes that the Code of Criminal Procedures and the Criminal Code
contain some provisions on the right to obtain compensation by applying to a competent
court which will award fair and appropriate compensation, taking into account all material
and psychological damage incurred. The Committee notes with concern the absence of
information on any treatment and social rehabilitation services and other forms of
assistance, including medical and psychosocial rehabilitation, provided to victims (art. 14).
The State party should take the necessary measures to ensure the effective application
of the law and provide all victims of torture and ill-treatment with redress, including
fair and adequate compensation and as full rehabilitation as possible. The State party
should provide, in its next periodic report, information on redress and compensation
measures ordered by the courts and provided to victims of torture, or their families,
during the reporting period. This information should include the number of requests
made, the number granted and the amounts ordered and actually provided in each
case. In addition, the State party should provide information on any ongoing
reparation programmes, including for treatment of trauma and other forms of
rehabilitation provided to victims of torture and ill-treatment, as well as on the
allocation of adequate resources to ensure the effective functioning of such
programmes.
Conditions of detention
30.
While noting that the Prison Regulation in the Syrian Arab Republic provides for the
delivery of health care to prisoners, the Committee is concerned about information received
on the deplorable living conditions in places of detention, prison overcrowding, lack of
hygiene, insufficient food, health risks and inadequate health care. The Committee is also
concerned about the failure of the State party to separate juveniles from adults (arts. 11 and
16).
The State party should take urgent measures to bring the conditions of detention in
police stations, prisons and other detention facilities into line with the Standard
Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, in particular by:
(a)
Reducing prison overcrowding, including by considering non-custodial
forms of detention, and, in the case of juveniles, by ensuring that detention is only
used as a measure of last resort;
(b)
Improving the food and the health care provided to detainees;
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