A/HRC/34/54 authorities’ unequivocal commitment to a zero-tolerance policy on torture, but also expressed concern about the significant disconnect between policy and reality. Most notably, he observed that the sweeping security measures taken by the Government in response to the failed coup d’état of 15 July seemed to have resulted in a general sense of intimidation and distrust among many segments of the population, which prevented not only detained persons and their families but also lawyers and doctors and other members of civil society from initiating or participating in any procedure that might be perceived — rightly or wrongly — as opposing or criticizing the Government and its officials, including complaints of or investigations into allegations of torture or other forms of ill-treatment. 9. The Special Rapporteur also observed that some recently adopted legislation and statutory decrees had created an environment conducive to torture and other forms of illtreatment. These included the extension of the period of custody without judicial review to 30 days, the extension of the period without access to a lawyer to five days, the denial of confidential exchange between inmates suspected of terrorist crimes and their lawyers, and the introduction of — albeit overturnable — immunity from criminal prosecution for forces conducting counter-terrorist operations in the south-east. 10. In view of the various concurrent crises in the country, the Special Rapporteur expressed his sincere solidarity with all segments of the population of Turkey and fully recognized the Government’s right to protect its citizens and institutions through extraordinary measures. However, he also reminded the authorities that expedient access to lawyers and judicial review were indispensable for the prevention of torture and other forms of ill-treatment. He therefore appealed to the Government to publicly reinforce its zero-tolerance policy on torture and, in particular, to unequivocally make clear to State officials at all levels that they were expected and, indeed, obliged to report and investigate all allegations of torture and to bring perpetrators to justice. 11. The preliminary observations on the visit can be consulted on the OHCHR website; 1 a full report will be presented to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-seventh session. III. Methodology of the Special Rapporteur 12. The Special Rapporteur wishes to express his sincere acknowledgement of and gratitude for the outstanding work accomplished by his predecessors since the establishment of the mandate in 1985. Throughout his tenure, he intends to consolidate and build on their achievements, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 25/13 and in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Special Procedures Mandate-holders of the Human Rights Council and the Manual of Operations of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. The Special Rapporteur acknowledges that the mandate is part of a wider system, and wishes to continue to work in close cooperation with the Committee against Torture, the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture and other special procedure mandate holders as well as with regional anti-torture mechanisms, States and civil society actors. He intends to ensure that the synergies between the guardians of the protection against torture are not only preserved but, if possible, developed even further. 13. In the course of the past three decades, the mandate has contributed significantly to the steady development, expansion and consolidation of an impressive institutional and normative anti-torture framework. This includes, most notably, the growth of a tightly knit treaty-based system including the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or 1 4 See www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20976&LangID=E.