CAT/C/PAK/CO/1
torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, in violation of the
Convention.
Juvenile justice
40.
The Committee is concerned about the execution of individuals who were reportedly
minors at the time of the offence, in breach of international and domestic prohibitions.
While noting that minors have the possibility of challenging their age determination in
court, the Committee is concerned about the reported lack of an adequate mechanism to
determine the age of juvenile offenders that is in line with due process and fair trial
standards.
41.
The State party should ensure the existence of effective mechanisms for
appealing age determination decisions in a timely manner. The Committee
recommends that the State party increase its efforts to ensure that any minor accused
of a crime receives independent and effective legal counsel.
Redress
42.
While welcoming the efforts of the Government to create new rehabilitation centres
that provide medical and psychological assistance, the Committee is concerned about
reports that many victims of torture are unable to access redress and compensation. It is
also concerned at the lack of information provided by the State party on cases in which
victims of acts of torture or ill-treatment committed by public officials have obtained
compensation or other forms of redress (art. 14).
43.
The Committee, recalling its general comment No. 3 (2012) on the
implementation of article 14, urges the State party to:
(a)
Take measures to guarantee that victims of torture and ill-treatment
benefit from effective remedies and obtain full and effective redress and reparation,
including adequate compensation and rehabilitation, regardless of whether the
perpetrator of the violation is identified, apprehended, prosecuted or convicted;
(b)
Ensure that specialized, holistic rehabilitation services are available and
promptly accessible by victims of torture and ill-treatment without discrimination,
through the direct provision of rehabilitative services by the State or through the
funding of other facilities, including those administered by non-governmental
organizations.
Data collection
44.
While acknowledging that the Committee’s review concerned the State party’s
initial report under article 19 of the Convention, the Committee deeply regrets that the State
party’s report did not contain, and that the delegation of the State party could not provide,
the data requested on prosecutions and convictions of public officials for conduct
amounting to torture under the Convention; information on the progress of particularly
significant investigations; data on the number, capacity and occupancy rate of places of
detention in the State party; and data on redress, including compensation provided in cases
of torture and ill-treatment. The Committee also regrets the absence of statistical data on
investigations and prosecutions concerning enforced disappearances, violence against
women and girls, trafficking in persons, contemporary forms of slavery and instances of
deportation of refugees (arts. 2-3, 11-14 and 16).
45.
The State party should collect and submit statistical data, disaggregated by the
age and sex of the victim, that would allow the Committee to more effectively assess
the State party’s implementation of the Convention at the national level, particularly
data on complaints, investigations, prosecutions and convictions related to acts of
torture and ill-treatment attributed to law enforcement personnel. Statistical data
should also be collected and submitted on physical and sexual violence against girls
and women, domestic violence, refugees and enforced disappearances.
10