CAT/C/SVK/CO/2
In the light of its general comment No. 2 on the implementation of article 2
(CAT/C/GC/2), the Committee recalls that the special protection of certain minorities
or marginalized individuals or groups especially at risk is part of the State party’s
obligations under the Convention. In this respect, the State party should:
(a)
Strengthen its efforts to combat ill-treatment of Roma detainees by
ensuring the exercise of their legal rights from the outset of detention;
(b)
Enforce the School Act No 245/2008 by ensuring that Roma children are
admitted to mainstream education, unless a proper assessment concludes that the
child has a mental disability and the child’s legal guardian has requested placement in
a special school. In particular, it should decouple the term “socially disadvantaged”
from the term “mental disability”.
12.
Redress and compensation, including rehabilitation
16.
The Committee regrets the lack of implementation of the rights of victims of torture
and ill-treatment to redress and compensation, including rehabilitation. The Committee also
regrets the lack of available information regarding the number of victims of torture and illtreatment who may have received compensation and the amounts awarded in such cases, as
well as the lack of information about other forms of assistance, including medical or
psychosocial rehabilitation, provided to the victims (art. 14).
The State party should ensure that victims of torture and ill-treatment are entitled to
redress and compensation, including rehabilitation, so that victims of torture and
other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment may be provided with
fair and adequate compensation, including the means for as full rehabilitation as
possible. It should also collect data on the number of victims who have received
compensation and other forms of assistance.
13.
Violence against women and children.
17.
The Committee is concerned about the insufficient measures taken to protect women
and children against violence. In this regard, it shares the concern of the Committee on the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW/C/SVK/CO/4, para. 20) about the
high rate of violence against women and girls, including feminicides in the context of
domestic violence (art. 16).
The State party should:
(a)
Strengthen its efforts to ensure that urgent and efficient protection
measures are put in place, and investigate promptly and impartially all allegations of
violence against women and girls, including feminicides in the context of domestic
violence, and prosecute and punish the perpetrators;
(b)
Provide shelters and counselling services for women victims of violence
in sufficient numbers and with adequate standards;
(c)
Conduct broader awareness-raising campaigns and training on domestic
violence for officials (judges, prosecutors, lawyers, law enforcement agencies and
social workers) and the public at large;
(d)
Increase cooperation with non-governmental organizations working to
protect women and girls from violence.
GE.09-46819
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