CAT/C/CHE/CO/7 fully in conformity with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (Paris Principles) as soon as possible, to strengthen the implementation of obligations under the Convention by the various cantons. The Committee also takes note of the information indicating that insufficient financial resources are allocated to the National Commission for the Prevention of Torture, which was established to serve as the national preventive mechanism under the Optional Protocol to the Convention (art. 2). The Committee recommends that the State party expedite the process of establishing a national human rights institution with a mandate in accordance with the Paris Principles, and provide it with the necessary financial and hu man resources. The State party should also provide the National Commission for the Prevention of Torture with the resources it needs to effectively fulfil its mandate as the national preventive mechanism. Police violence 10. The Committee is concerned at information received to the effect that alleged cases of excessive use of force and of racist behaviour by the police and immigration services are not systematically reported to the authorities, even where there is medical evidence of injury. It also notes with concern the reports indicating the lack of prompt and effective investigations, as noted by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Dembele v. Switzerland (2013). In this regard, the Committee finds it regrettable that the State party has not yet established an independent body to investigate individual cases, despite the Committee’s repeated recommendation in its previous concluding observations (see CAT/C/CR/34/CHE, para. 4 (g), and CAT/C/CHE/CO/6, para. 9). The Committee also finds it regrettable that the State party has not provided adequate statistical data at the national level concerning allegations of violence and ill-treatment by law enforcement officers. With regard to the data relating to the cantons of Geneva, Vaud and Zurich, it notes with concern that a large number of cases were discontinued and that, in the few cases that resulted in penalties being applied, these were only disciplinary sanctions (arts. 2, 12, 13 and 16). The Committee urges the State party to: (a) Create an independent mechanism empowered to receive complaints relating to violence or ill-treatment by law enforcement officers and to conduct timely, impartial and exhaustive inquiries into such complaints; (b) Ensure that medical reports of injuries indicating ill-treatment are sent without delay to the independent mechanism responsible for carrying out a thorough examination; (c) Try those suspected of acts of torture or ill-treatment and, if they are found guilty, sentence them to punishment commensurate with the gravity of their acts; (d) Ensure that victims have access to effective remedies and reparation. Violence against women 11. The Committee welcomes the awareness-raising and other legislative measures (see para. 5 (c) above) taken by the State party regarding violence against women. However, the Committee remains concerned about the high number of prosecutions for domestic violence that are dropped (70 per cent), in some cases because they are suspended by the competent authority with the tacit agreement of the victim. In this regard, the Committee welcomes the approval by the Federal Council of the proposal to amend the law to make a hearing of the victim mandatory before a case can be GE.15-15100 3/9

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