Situation during visit (A/HRC/4/33/Add.3) Steps taken in previous years (to be found in A/HRC/7/3/Add.2) Information received on steps taken since December 2007/current situation • The Special Rapporteur has not received any further information on the transfer of the corrections department to the authority of the Ministry of Justice and on the introduction and application of noncustodial measures. • • • A committee was created within the Ministry of Interior to consider alternative sentencing measures Transfer of the corrections department from the Ministry of Interior to the Ministry of Justice is being discussed An “Office for Prison Reform” has been mandated to devise strategies and plans to modernize mechanisms to accomplish the goal of combating torture. To this end, the services of the Kerik Group, a company that specializes in prison management services have been contracted A new Reform and Rehabilitation Centre was built in Al-Muqar to address the problem of overcrowding. Construction of more new centres is being considered A/HRC/10/44/Add.5 page 59 Recommendation (A/HRC/4/33/Add.3) Torture recognizing the competence of the Committee against Torture to receive and consider communications from individuals who claim to be victims of a violation of the provisions of the Convention (q) Non-violent offenders be removed from confinement in pretrial detention facilities, subject to non-custodial measures (i.e. guarantees to appear for trial, at any other stage of the judicial proceeding and, should occasion arise, for execution of the judgement)