A/68/44
(a)
Significantly reduce prison overcrowding, especially in Libreville
Central Prison, through a greater use, in particular, of non-custodial measures as
outlined in the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures
(the Tokyo Rules);
(b)
Reduce the duration of pretrial detention and release prisoners who have
served most of their prison sentences and whom the relevant authorities consider to be
ready to rejoin society;
(c)
Ensure that, in accordance with international standards, minors are
separated from adults, remand prisoners are separated from convicted prisoners, and
women are separated from men, particularly in rural prisons;
(d)
Ensure that prisoners have genuine access to a means of filing a
complaint regarding their conditions of detention and/or ill-treatment and that
impartial, independent investigations into such complaints are promptly carried out;
(e)
Bring its sentencing policy regarding minors into line with international
standards; and
(f)
Guarantee access to health care and to an adequate daily diet.
Juvenile justice
(18) While noting that the State party has introduced a new juvenile justice regime with
the adoption of Judicial Protection of Minors Act No. 39/2010 of 25 November 2010 and
the promulgation of Decree No. 0806/PR of 25 November 2010, which establishes special
provisions regarding pretrial detention and the age of criminal responsibility, the
Committee regrets that the amended legislation does not include a scheme of non-custodial
sentences for minors (arts. 2, 10 and 16).
The State party should:
(a)
Incorporate non-custodial measures into the justice system for minors in
conflict with the law;
(b)
Ensure that minors are not held in detention except as a last resort and
for the shortest amount of time possible;
(c)
Ensure that minors who have been deprived of their liberty have the
benefit of all legal safeguards and that convicted minors are held separately from
adults, men are held separately from women, and remand prisoners are held
separately from convicted prisoners, in accordance with the United Nations Standard
Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing Rules),
adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 40/33 of 29 November 1985, and the
United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (the Riyadh
Guidelines), adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 45/112 of 14 December
1990.
The State party should also train a sufficient number of qualified staff members to
handle the caseload in the juvenile justice system.
Human trafficking
(19) The Committee takes note of the numerous legislative, institutional and awarenessraising measures adopted by the State party to prevent and combat human trafficking.
Nevertheless, the Committee is concerned by the persistence in the State party of the
practice of trafficking in persons, including children (30.6 per cent), as forced labour and
for purposes of sexual exploitation. The Committee is equally concerned by the fact that the
measures in place to combat trafficking fall short of what is needed, given, for example: the
18
GE.13-46043
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents