CAT/C/AFG/CO/2 (d) Ensure that the use of solitary confinement is reviewed and remains an exceptional measure of limited duration and that medical assistance is provided to persons in isolation who are ill; (e) Ensure that pretrial detainees and convicted inmates are held separately; (f) Develop educational programmes to ensure that prison staff abide by the law and adhere strictly to rules and regulations. Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission 31. While taking note of the delegation’s affirmations that the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission has access to all detention facilities throughout the country and commending the large number and the competence of the staff of the Commission, the Committee remains concerned by the reports from the Commission that its monitoring staff members have limited access to custody and detention centres, especially facilities of the National Directorate of Security, and no access to places of detention for suspects and the accused. The Committee is also concerned by the reports alleging that the Chair of the Commission, Sima Samar, received death threats in relation to her work (arts. 2, 12 and 13). 32. The State party should: (a) Continue to allocate adequate budgetary resources to the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and provide it with additional resources, including human resources, to enable it to effectively fulfil its mandate; (b) Enable the Commission to make regular and unannounced visits to all places of detention, including those controlled by the armed forces and international forces; (c) Support the Commission in the documenting of alleged cases of torture in places of detention and investigate promptly and impartially all allegations of torture and ill-treatment reported by the Commission; (d) effectively; Implement recommendations made by the Commission promptly and (e) Enable all personnel of the Commission to safely conduct their human rights work without fear of reprisals. Death penalty 33. While welcoming the delegation’s information that a separate committee has been established to review death penalty sentences and to discuss a plan to declare a moratorium on the death penalty, the Committee remains concerned by the high number of prisoners on death row, which currently amounts to 600, the tremendous delay in carrying out their sentences, and the conditions of detention of prisoners awaiting execution. The Committee is deeply concerned by the recent cases of executions of minors (arts. 2 and 16). 34. The State party should: (a) Promptly consider taking measures for an immediate moratorium on executions and a commutation of sentences; (b) Respect international standards that provide safeguards guaranteeing the protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty; (c) Immediately end the practice of the execution of minors and commute all existing death sentences for offenders on death row who committed the crime for which they were sentenced while under the age of 18. Harmful practices against children: child marriages and bacha baazi 35. The Committee is concerned by the widespread phenomenon of the forced and early marriages of girls. While welcoming the delegation’s affirmations that a new law is nearing adoption that prohibits bacha baazi, a practice that facilitates sexual violence against and the sexual slavery of boys, the Committee remains deeply concerned that, the new legal 8