(d)
82.
Specific measures for law enforcement personnel:
(i)
The adoption of the “Code of Police Ethics” in 1998;
(ii)
The organization of training for the police through a project of education
in the field of prevention of torture by the Ministry of Public Order in
cooperation with NGOs.
Furthermore, the Committee would like to commend:
(a)
The suspension since 1992 of the death penalty;
(b)
The separation of juveniles from adults in all detention facilities;
(c)
The publication of the reports of the four first visits of the European Committee
for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to Albania
(CPT/Inf (2003)11) and of the response of the Government thereto (CPT/Inf (2003)12) as well as
the assurance of the Government that it will soon authorize the publication of the report of the
2003 visit;
(d)
of Albania.
The involvement of national NGOs in the preparation of the initial report
C. Subjects of concern
83.
The Committee expresses concern:
(a)
That the definition of torture in the Criminal Code does not cover all the elements
contained in article 1 of the Convention, especially regarding persons acting in an official
capacity;
(b)
That the qualification of acts of torture by law enforcement personnel merely as
“arbitrary acts” results in those acts being treated as less serious criminal offences;
(c)
That a climate of de facto impunity prevails for law enforcement personnel who
commit acts of torture or ill-treatment, in view of:
36
(i)
The numerous allegations of torture and ill-treatment by law enforcement
personnel, especially at the moment of arrest and during interrogation;
(ii)
The limited number of complaints regarding torture and ill-treatment, in
particular to the Peoples’ Advocate;
(iii)
The lack of prompt and impartial investigation of allegations of torture
and ill-treatment committed by law enforcement personnel; and
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