A/66/44 (iii) The incorporation of new legal procedures for the protection of human rights, such as protective action (art. 88), habeas corpus (art. 89) and special protection measures (art. 94); (iv) The trial of members of the armed forces and the national police by the judiciary (art. 160); (v) The establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman as an independent judicial organ responsible for providing free legal aid to persons who cannot afford the services of a counsel (art. 191). (b) Ruling No. 0002-2005-TC of the Constitutional Tribunal (now the Constitutional Court), published in Official Gazette No. 382-S of 23 October 2006, declaring the detención en firme procedure unconstitutional; (c) Ruling No. 0042-2007-TC of the Constitutional Tribunal, published in Official Gazette No. 371 of 1 July 2008, declaring articles 145 and 147 of the National Security Act, which allow the trial of civilians by military courts for acts committed during states of emergency, unconstitutional; and the interpretative statement No. 001-08-SI-CC of the new Constitutional Court, published in Official Gazette No. 479 of 2 December 2008, confirming that the former military and police courts ceased to exist when the 2008 Constitution took effect. (7) The Committee welcomes the efforts made by the State party to alter its policies and procedures in order to ensure greater protection for human rights and apply the Convention, in particular: (a) The adoption, on 8 May 2008, of Ecuador’s Refugee Policy, in which it undertakes to meet the commitments assumed under the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, its 1967 Protocol, the 1984 Cartagena Declaration and the 2004 Mexico Declaration and Plan of Action; (b) The adoption in 2006 of the national plan to combat human trafficking, illegal trafficking of migrants, exploitation for sexual work or other purposes and prostitution of women, children and adolescents, child pornography and the corruption of minors; (c) The approval of the Criminal Code Reform Act (Act No. 2005-2, Official Gazette No. 45 of 23 June 2005), which defines and punishes the offence of sexual exploitation of minors; (d) The publication, on 7 June 2010, of the final report of the Truth Commission, giving the results of its investigations into the human rights violations that have occurred in Ecuador, mainly during the period between 1984 and 1988. (8) The Committee is pleased to note that the State party has admitted tens of thousands of refugees and asylum-seekers, mostly Colombians fleeing from the armed conflict in their country. The State party estimates that there are some 135,000 persons in need of international protection who are present in the country, and had granted refugee status to over 45,000 by 26 November 2009. (9) The Committee is grateful that the State party maintains an open invitation to all special procedure mandate holders of the Human Rights Council. Since consideration of the State party’s previous report, Ecuador has received the visits of seven special rapporteurs and working groups of the Council. GE.11-45568 33