A/HRC/22/53/Add.1 I. Introduction 1. The Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Juan E. Méndez, conducted a visit to Tajikistan from 10 to 18 May 2012, at the invitation of the Government. The purpose of the visit was to assess the situation of torture and ill-treatment in the country, including conditions of detention, and to identify measures to prevent torture and ill-treatment in future. 2. During his mission, the Special Rapporteur met the President, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for the Interior, the Prosecutor General, the Minister for Justice, the Head of the Department for Correctional Facilities at the Ministry of Justice, members of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court, the Ombudsman, the Head of the State Committee for National Security, the Head of the Department for the Fight against Organized Crime of the Ministry of the Interior, the Minister for Health, the Head of the Republican Centre for forensic-medical expertise under the Ministry of Health, the First Deputy Minister for Defence, district and city representatives of above-mentioned ministries in Khujand, Isfara and Kurgan-Tube, and representatives of United Nations agencies, other international organizations and of civil society organizations. The Special Rapporteur met with victims of torture and their relatives, and visited places of deprivation of liberty in and around Dushanbe, Khujand, Isfara, Istarafshan and Kurgan-Tube. 3. The Special Rapporteur expresses his appreciation to the Government for providing him with unimpeded access to all detention facilities in accordance with the terms of reference for fact-finding missions by special rapporteurs, 1 even though in some instances he noted excessive readiness and preparation. 4. The Special Rapporteur selected a representative sample of places and facilities, and visited a total of 17 detention centres of all types, including temporary detention facilities, pretrial detention facilities, police stations, a penal colony and one military unit in different parts of the country. 2 The testimonies heard about torture and ill-treatment shared the same pattern and were largely corroborated by forensic expertise. 5. The Special Rapporteur expresses his gratitude to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Human Rights Adviser at the United Nations Office of the Resident Coordinator, the United Nations country team, and others involved in organizing the visit and for the excellent assistance prior to and throughout the mission. The Special Rapporteur thanks the Tajik civil society and international community based in Tajikistan for their invaluable insight. The Special Rapporteur is grateful to all his interlocutors, including senior State officials, representatives of civil society, lawyers, detainees and victims of torture and ill-treatment who he met in Dushanbe, Khujand, Isfara, Istarafshan and Kurgan Tube. He expresses solidarity with victims and their families, and expresses his support to the important efforts of survivors of torture, their relatives and Tajik human rights defenders. 6. The Special Rapporteur shared his preliminary findings with the Government at the close of his mission. On 4 December2012, he sent an advanced preliminary version of the present report to the Government in English and Russian. On 10 January 2013, the 1 2 E/CN.4/1998/45, appendix V. In principle, a temporary detention facility (IVS) is used to hold a detainee in the first 72 hours after arrest and before the courts have authorized remand for trial. A pretrial detention facility (SIZO) is used to hold a detainee after the initial court decision until trial. Penitentiary colonies are for inmates serving sentences. In principle, police stations are not used to hold detainees. 3