CAT/C/CR/29/3 page 3 C. Factors and difficulties impeding the application of the Convention 7. The Committee is aware of the difficult situation confronting the State party as a result of the serious and frequent acts of violence and terrorism which threaten the security of the State, resulting in loss of life and damage to property. The Committee recognizes the right and the duty of the State to protect its citizens from such acts and to put an end to violence, and observes that its lawful reaction must be compatible with article 2 (2) of the Convention, whereby no exceptional circumstances whatsoever may be invoked as a justification of torture. D. Subjects of concern 8. The Committee observes with concern the dichotomy between the assertion of the State party that, isolated cases apart, torture and ill-treatment do not occur in Spain (CAT/C/55/Add.5, para. 10) and the information received from non-governmental sources which reveals continued instances of torture and ill-treatment by the State security and police forces. 9. Of particular concern are the complaints concerning the treatment of immigrants, including sexual abuse and rape, allegedly on racist or xenophobic grounds. The Committee notes that Spain has become an important gateway to Europe for immigrants, and that this has meant a significant increase in the country’s foreign population. In this context the omission from the definition of torture in article 174 of the Penal Code of torture “based on discrimination of any kind,” notwithstanding the fact that, under the Code, racism is deemed to be an aggravating factor in any offence, takes on particular importance. 10. The Committee continues to be deeply concerned by the fact that incommunicado detention up to a maximum of five days has been maintained for specific categories of particularly serious offences. During this period, the detainee has no access to a lawyer or to a doctor of his choice nor is he able to notify his family. Although the State party explains that incommunicado detention does not involve the complete isolation of the detainee, who has access to an officially appointed lawyer and a forensic physician, the Committee considers that the incommunicado regime, regardless of the legal safeguards for its application, facilitates the commission of acts of torture and ill-treatment. 11. The Committee also expresses its concern at the following: (a) The substantial delays attending legal investigations into complaints of torture, which may lead to convicted persons being pardoned or not serving their sentences owing to the length of time since the offence was committed. This further delays the realization of the rights of victims to moral and material compensation; (b) The failure of the Administration, in some cases, to initiate disciplinary proceedings when criminal proceedings are in progress, pending the outcome of the latter. Delays in judicial proceedings may be such that, once criminal proceedings have concluded, disciplinary proceedings are time-barred; (c) Cases of ill-treatment during enforced expulsion from the country, particularly in the case of unaccompanied minors;