prov~s~ons were concerned more with physi.cal violence and it sequelae than with mental and psychological sUffering, but suggestions would be made to the Cameroonian authorities to adopt the necessary amendments. 248. The period of custody of suspects in Cameroon was limited to 24 hours and could only be extended by the Public Prosecutor, the maximum duration being four days. The Public Prosecutor was responsible for monitoring places of detention. During the period of custody, a suspect could contact his family, have access to legal counsel and undergo a medical examination. When charges had been brought, the accused could choose a defence counsel and was not required to make any statement in his counsel's absence. He could be held incommunicado for a period of 10 days, renewable for a further 10 days, but he was entitled to have contact with a lawyer during that period. Rules of evidence were based on the principle of the innermost conviction of the jUdge, who assessed the probative value of evidence and could therefore reject any confession whi.ch had been obtained through torture. Training of professionals in relation to the prohibition against torture had not yet been introduced in Cameroon. 249. Members of the Committee thanked the Government of Cameroon for the additional report which provided fuller information than was contained in the initial repoert, as well as the representative of the State party for his introductory statement. They noted, however, that certain questions posed by them during the consideration of the initial report of Cameroon had not yet been answered. In that connection. they wished to know how the Convention against Torture was directly applicable in Cameroon and took precedence over domestic legislation in actual practice. Further details were also requested concerning the independence of the judiciary, the guarantees of such independence and the powers, functions and terms of office of the Supreme Judicial Council. Similarly, further information on the Court of National Security was requested. including the age at which minors could be brought before the court, as well as details of its composition, jurisdiction and procedure. With regard to military courts, it was asked, inter alia, whether there were cases where civilians still appeared before them. 250. Members of the Committee also wished to receive more information on how the President of Cameroon was elected, on the role of the Parliamentary National Assembly and on the re1ationshi.p between the judiciary and the President of Cameroon. and asked whether there had been any cases where action by the Government had influenced the decisions of the Supreme Court or local courts on matters in which the Government had an interest. In addition, they wished to know when the current state of emergency had been declared in Cameroon. for what part of the territory, and what the current situation was in that regard; whether consultation with parli.ament and the judiciary preceded the issuance of a presidential decree proclaiming a state of emergenc:y; and whether parliament continued to sit throughout a state of emergency. re~ pr of in: hac grl 25~ of the of men Con bei 253 Cam und, per, intj of c per: jUd~ cust the cont and Proc cust to t proh c1ar assa 254. Comm, intel mont] such fami: be hl pram! 255. intex or eJl obset his 1 251. Members of the Committee expressed concern at information received with regard to 60 persons who were still being dtained without having been charged or brought before a court, following events that had occurred in Cameroon in 1984. They asked, in particular, what the legal basi.s was for such detention and whether such persons were entitled to habeas corpus. Similarly, they -48Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Library 1951 would into Final was a artic