A/69/44 Rendition flights (13) While welcoming the criminal investigation undertaken into the State party’s alleged involvement in extraordinary renditions in the context of its international cooperation in countering terrorism, the Committee notes the State party’s clarification in the State report that the investigation has been closed on the grounds of insufficient evidence, despite reports on the State party’s alleged cooperation in a rendition and secret detention programme (arts. 2, 3, 12 and 16). The Committee encourages the State party to continue its investigations, if further information comes to light, into allegations of the State party’s involvement in a rendition programme and of the use of the State party’s airports and airspace by flights involved in “extraordinary rendition”, and bring to light the facts surrounding these allegations. The Committee reminds the State party that the transfer and refoulement of persons, when there are substantial grounds for believing that these persons would be at risk of being subjected to torture, is in itself a violation of article 3 of the Convention. Reception conditions of asylum seekers (14) The Committee notes that the number of asylum applications has increased in recent years, from 140 applications in 2009 to 369 applications received to date in 2013. It also notes that the Refugee Reception Centre, designed to accommodate asylum seekers in the admissibility phase, during which there is no entitlement to work, suffers from overcrowding (arts. 3, 11 and 16). The State party should ensure the timely processing of refugee claims, both in the special procedure at the border as well as in the regular procedure, in order to reduce the waiting time of asylum seekers in reception centres. The State party should also take action to increase the accommodation capacity of the reception centres, in order to alleviate the current overcrowding, and ensure that adequate medical care, as well as adequate supplies of, inter alia, food, water and personal hygiene items, are always provided. Electrical discharge weapons (15) The Committee recalls its previous recommendation (CAT/C/PRT/CO/4, para. 14) and expresses its deep concern at instances where electrical discharge weapons (“Taser X26”) were disproportionally used by police and prison officials, for example, in 2010 by the Prison Security Intervention Group at Paços de Ferreira prison (arts. 2 and 16). The State party should ensure that electrical discharge weapons are used exclusively in extreme and limited situations where there is a real and immediate threat to life or risk of serious injury, as a substitute for lethal weapons, and by trained law enforcement personnel only. The Committee is of the view that electrical discharge weapons should not be part of the equipment of custodial staff in prisons or any other place of deprivation of liberty. The Committee urges the State party to strictly monitor and supervise their use. Redress, including compensation and rehabilitation (16) While welcoming the adoption of Act No. 104/2009 (para. 5 (e) above) and the establishment of the Commission for the Protection of Crime Victims (CPVC), which grants compensation to and provides social support and rehabilitation for victims of violent crimes and of domestic violence in advance of the outcome of criminal proceedings, the Committee regrets the lack of information on compensation awarded by the CPVC or the courts of the State party to the victims of torture or ill-treatment (art. 14). GE.14-12596 77