A/HRC/4/33/Add.3
page 21
United Nations human rights mechanisms because of its commitment to developing and
promoting human rights; the Special Rapporteur is assured that every effort will be made
to implement his recommendations.
69.
The Special Rapporteur expresses the sincere hope that as a first step, the
Government will demonstrate its commitment by holding accountable security officials
who practise, order or condone torture (e.g. the head of counter-terrorism operations
of GID, the Director of the Al-Jafr Correction and Rehabilitation Centre, the
Deputy-Director of CID, the Directors of Criminal Investigation Section North/South/
Central Jordan and Amman Centre, the two interrogators from Marqa police station
identified in the appendix, and the prison official from Juweidah Correction and
Rehabilitation Centre identified in the appendix).
70.
In its letter of 10 October 2006, the Government informed the Special Rapporteur
of a number of developments since his visit:
(1)
The Government has tasked the competent institutions with exploring the
possibility of amending article 208 of the Penal Code to increase the penalties to be imposed
on public servants, including by ruling out any statute of limitations on, or general amnesty
for, acts of torture, and to verify that the article meets the requirements of the definition of
torture set out in article 1 of the Convention against Torture.
(2)
The Public Security Department is investigating a number of the cases of
alleged torture mentioned in the report and those responsible for these acts will be
punished if found guilty.
(3)
The Government will look into the possibility of granting everyone who is
arrested the right to ask for a lawyer at the time of arrest.
(4)
The Government is contemplating closing Al-Jafr Correction and
Rehabilitation Centre, and transferring the inmates elsewhere. The number of prisoners
has already been reduced; there are currently not more than 50 inmates at the centre [The
Special Rapporteur welcomes recent information that the Government has in fact closed
Al-Jafr as of December 2006]. The Public Security Department has drawn up a
comprehensive plan for the development and modernization of correction and
rehabilitation centres and training of staff. Furthermore, the Government is in the process
of creating a special refuge for women held in protective custody.
71.
The Special Rapporteur welcomes this information, some of which relates to
recommendations made in his preliminary observations following the visit. These
developments are evidence of the Government’s cooperation to this end. He stands ready
to offer his full cooperation and assistance.
72.
The Special Rapporteur recommends to the Government that:
Impunity
(a)
The absolute prohibition of torture be considered for incorporation into the
Constitution;
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