CAT/C/32/D/202/2002 Page 13 5.4 On the argument that her allegations do not fulfill the conditions of article 1, paragraph 1, the complainant submits that the medical evidence, in the form of statements from several doctors and therapists in the spring of 1998, demonstrates that she did experience “severe pain and suffering”, within the meaning of this provision. The serious symptoms experienced by her are said to be commonly found in those who have been held in solitary confinement. She refers to studies by the Danish NGO “Isolations-gruppen”, who have lobbied for the abolishment of solitary confinement, to show that persons held in such confinement are more likely to commit suicide. Therefore, the State party was aware of the “severe pain and suffering” generally experienced by those held in solitary confinement, and particularly in the complainant’s case. Moreover, it was aware that the complainant had three young children, a fact which would only increase her pain and suffering to be held in solitary confinement. Ms. Jensen argues that her claim that the State party was aware of the shortcomings of the legislation governing on solitary confinement for pre-trial detainees at the time of her remand, is supported by the subsequent change in the relevant provisions of the Act. 5.5 The complainant agrees that the purpose of the Act is not to obtain confessions or information, but whether the third requirement of article 1 is fulfilled is not dependent on the wording or purpose of the legislation but rather its effect in the individual case. By interrogating the complainant on 4 and 5 June 1998 in the absence of her lawyer, the Kalundborg Police went beyond what her lawyer had authorised them to question her on during counsel’s absence. Prior to these interrogations, several doctors and therapists had documented the complainant’s deteriorating mental state. It is also alleged that the police investigator tried to force the complainant to confess to being an accomplice to smuggling of hashish, despite there being no evidence for this. Against this background, it is submitted that the Kalundborg Police (as a public authority) used the instrument of solitary confinement to obtain information and confessions in such a manner required for the purposes of proving a violation of torture pursuant to article 1. 5.6 The complainant invokes the Committee’s concluding observations on several State reports to demonstrate that articles 1 and 16 can be interpreted as including a general prohibition against pre-trial detention in solitary confinement. Thus, in the