CAT/C/BGR/CO/6 punished; and provide victims with remedies and redress afforded by the Convention, including for reparation and damages. Training 31. While noting the professional training provided to public officials, the Committee is concerned that law enforcement officials, border guards, prison staff and police officers do not receive sufficient specific training on the provisions of the Convention, including the absolute prohibition of torture, and on violence against women and human trafficking. It is also concerned that training on the Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the Istanbul Protocol) is not provided to all medical professionals dealing with persons deprived of liberty. The Committee is further concerned at the lack of information on the impact of the training conducted for all relevant officials, including law enforcement officials, prison staff and border guards (art. 10). 32. Recalling its previous recommendation (see CAT/C/BGR/CO/4-5, para. 20), the Committee recommends that the State party should: (a) Make training on the provisions of the Convention and the absolute prohibition of torture, as well as on violence against women and human trafficking, mandatory for law enforcement officials, prison staff, judges, prosecutors and lawyers; and provide training for law enforcement officials on the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials; (b) Ensure that the Istanbul Protocol is made an essential part of the training for all medical professionals and other public officials involved in work with persons deprived of their liberty; (c) Develop and implement specific methodologies to assess the effectiveness and impact of training and educational programmes provided to law enforcement and other public officials on the provisions of the Convention in terms of reducing the number of cases of torture; (d) Provide training to law enforcement, prosecutorial and judicial officials on non-coercive investigation methods. Redress for victims of torture 33. While taking note of the Assistance and Financial Compensation to Crime Victims Act, which is in the process of being amended, the Committee is concerned that the State party has not awarded or provided any redress, including rehabilitation, to victims of torture or ill-treatment during the reporting period (art. 14). 34. The State party should ensure that victims of torture and ill-treatment obtain redress, including rehabilitation, and have an enforceable right to fair and adequate compensation, which should be reflected in the amendments to the Assistance and Financial Compensation to Crime Victims Act. The Committee draws the attention of the State party to general comment No. 3 (2012) on the implementation of article 14, in which the Committee explains the content and scope of the obligations of States parties to provide full redress to victims of torture and recommends amending the domestic legislation accordingly. Coerced confessions 35. While being informed by the State party that Bulgarian legislation criminalizes unlawful coercive action performed to extort a confession, and that it provides guarantees against the use of statements obtained under torture as evidence in legal proceedings, the Committee remains concerned at the continued absence of legislation explicitly prohibiting the admissibility of evidence obtained as a result of torture and ill-treatment. It is also concerned that the courts do not examine the circumstances under which statements, including self-incriminating statements and confessions, have been obtained, and that statements obtained in contravention of prescribed legal procedures have been presented to courts by prosecutors and have remained in the case files throughout the criminal 12

Select target paragraph3