CAT/C/QAT/CO/2 the provisions of the Convention, and the actions taken by the authorities in response, as well as their outcome (arts. 2, 12 and 13). The State party should intensify its efforts to ensure that (a) the National Human Rights Committee is able to independently and impartially monitor and investigate torture or ill-treatments by State officers and has sufficient resources to that end; and (b) all relevant authorities follow up on the recommendations issued by NHRC. Furthermore, the State party is encouraged to consider reducing the number of governmental officials who are members of NHRC and limiting their roles, in particular, in undertaking detention monitoring and adopting recommendations, with a view to strengthening the full independence of NHRC in line with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (Paris Principles). Human rights defenders 17. The Committee is concerned at the lack of information on measures taken to prevent harassment of human rights defenders and journalists and prosecute and punish perpetrators. It also regrets the lack of information on the case of Sultan al-Khalaifi, founder of a human rights organization, who was arrested in March 2011 and detained for a month without charge. Furthermore, the Committee notes with concern allegations of recent cases of arrest and detention of other human rights defenders in Qatar, referred to in an urgent appeal made by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and three other special procedure mandate holders (A/HRC/18/51, case No. QAT 1/2011). The Committee regrets the insufficient role played by non-governmental bodies in the State party in monitoring the implementation of the Convention at the national level (arts. 13, 14 and 16). The State party should take necessary measures to ensure the protection of human rights defenders from intimidation or violence as a result of their activities. Furthermore, it should ensure prompt, impartial and effective investigation and appropriate punishment of such intimidation or violent acts. It should take affirmative measures to encourage the formation of independent non-governmental bodies in the State party to monitor, promote and protect universal human rights for all. Migrant workers 18. The Committee is deeply concerned about reports of widespread torture or illtreatment and abuse of migrant workers, in particular under the sponsorship system (kafeel), constraints on lodging complaints against their employers and the lack of information on cases in which sponsors were punished for torture or ill-treatment of migrant workers. The Committee notes the concerns raised by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD/C/QAT/CO/13-16, para. 15) that, despite the legal provisions prohibiting conduct such as passport and wage-withholding by sponsors, the fundamental nature of the sponsorship system increases the dependency of the migrant workers on sponsors, rendering them vulnerable to various forms of exploitation and abuses. In addition, the Committee regrets the absence of labour legislation that protects domestic work, while noting that a draft law on domestic workers is presently under review. The Committee regrets the lack of information provided by the State party on complaints of violence made by migrant domestic workers during the reporting period and whether these led to investigations and prosecutions of perpetrators, particularly in the light of information before the Committee reflecting numerous allegations by migrant workers of physical abuse, sexual violence, rape and attempted rape (arts. 2, 12, 14 and 16). 6