CAT/OP/GAB/1 II. Access and cooperation 10. The Subcommittee wishes to express its gratitude to the Gabonese authorities for their cooperation and facilitation of the visit. In particular, it would like to thank the Government of Gabon for granting it unrestricted access to places of detention in conformity with the Optional Protocol, and for appointing Ms. Edna Paola Minko, née Biyogou, Director for the Promotion of Human Rights in the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, as focal point for the duration of the visit. 11. The Subcommittee notes, however, that the information and documents that it had requested prior to the visit were not supplied until very late, during the meeting held in Libreville on 3 December 2013. The Subcommittee regrets that the late and sometimes incomplete submission of essential information did not allow it to pr epare for its visit in a wholly satisfactory manner. 12. The authorities granted access to all places visited by the Subcommittee. Nevertheless, in many police stations and gendarmeries, the Subcommittee had to wait until the officers in charge had confirmed the permission given by their superiors. Moreover, in a number of cases, the Subcommittee faced difficulties in obtaining access to locked places, such as certain rooms or offices, particularly those in which interrogations usually take place or records are stored. On three occasions, the Subcommittee encountered obstruction in attempting to fulfil its mandate. During the visit to the central police station in Port-Gentil on 6 December, the competent authorities attempted to hide the reality of conditions and prevent the Subcommittee members from meeting and interviewing the detainees. It was only after much insistence that the Commander agreed to the Subcommittee’s request, and that not without reluctance or fear of reprisals. At the naval base in Port -Gentil, too, the Subcommittee was denied access to the disciplinary cells and the register by the duty officer. In Libreville, while the Subcommittee was carrying out an inspection during its visit to the offices of the criminal investigation department, 12 of the 18 detainees were moved outside the premises to prevent the Subcommittee from interviewing them, contrary to what had been agreed with the criminal investigation officer in charge, who was, for that matter, unable to give any convincing explanation for the transfers. Such behaviour is a serious matter and is a breach of the obligations under the Optional Protocol. 13. The Subcommittee notes with appreciation the frank and constructive dialogue established with the authorities during the end-of-mission meeting, and acknowledges the commitment by the highest levels of government and the strong political support for addressing the shortcomings found. 14. The Subcommittee strongly encourages the Gabonese authorities to strengthen their cooperation with it in order for it to fulfil its mandate, in line with the international obligations undertaken by Gabon. III. General observations on torture and ill-treatment 15. The Subcommittee notes that, despite some measures taken, torture and ill treatment remain prevalent, driven primarily by some worrying structural and systemic problems linked to:  4/24 Low levels of compliance with the guarantees set forth in the Constitution, international treaties and laws and regulations applicable in Gabon; GE. 15-10283