Political opposition and human rights defenders (18) The Committee notes with concern the information it has received on alleged cases of systematic harassment and death threats directed at human rights defenders, particularly female defenders of women’s rights. The Committee also notes with concern the criminal investigations instituted against women defending reproductive rights, as well as the de facto constraints that limit the enjoyment of the right to freedom of association by organizations of human rights defenders (arts. 2, 12 and 16). The Committee urges the State party to take the necessary measures to combat alleged cases of systematic harassment and death threats directed at human rights defenders in general and female defenders of women’s rights in particular, to conduct impartial investigations and to duly punish the culprits. (19) The Committee expresses concern at the information it has received regarding the violent suppression by some sectors of society, including civilian patrols allegedly supported by the Government, of collective demonstrations in which the political opposition and representatives of NGOs participated. A failure to punish acts of this sort is an inducement to the repetition of such abuse and would appear to indicate the tacit approval of the authorities (arts. 2, 12 and 16). The State party should adopt effective measures to combat and prevent acts of violence against members of the political opposition, their sympathizers and representatives of NGOs in connection with peaceful demonstrations and to provide proper protection for demonstrators. The State party should also ensure that immediate and impartial investigations are undertaken and culprits duly punished. Arbitrary detention (20) The Committee shares the concern expressed in the report of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (A/HRC/4/40/Add.3) regarding the lack of effective, clear and systematic registers in police stations that would make it possible to establish with clarity and certainty when detainees have entered and left police stations, before which authorities they have been brought and where, and which of the competent authorities is currently responsible for them (arts. 2, 11 and 16). The State party must arrange for substantial improvements in the system of registers kept in its police stations. These registers should make it possible to accurately determine, inter alia: the situation of all detainees, including the date and time of their arrest; the police officers responsible for taking them into custody; the date and time on which the Office of the Public Prosecutor, the detainees’ families and their defending counsel were notified of their arrest; the date and time on which they were physically brought before a judge; and the date and time on which they left the police station and the authority into whose charge they were handed. Conditions of detention (21) The Committee expresses its concern over the serious problem of overcrowding and other unsatisfactory detention conditions in custodial centres, which adversely affect the health of detainees. The Committee has also taken note of the especially disturbing situation in the Atlántico Norte and Atlántico Sur Autonomous Regions, particularly with regard to the substandard detention conditions prevailing in the Tipitapa and Bluefields prisons (art. 16). The State party should immediately adopt measures to reduce overcrowding in prisons and to improve infrastructure and hygiene. It should provide the equipment, staff and budgetary resources needed to ensure that detention conditions throughout the country meet minimum international standards. (22) The Committee notes the information provided during its dialogue with the State party regarding detention conditions for women and minors in prison, according to which, because of overcrowding, there are no separate prisons for women and minors in some regions. Although the Committee appreciates the State party’s efforts to find 111