CAT/C/TGO/CO/3 working as domestic servants, porters or market vendors, performing the worst forms of labour in agriculture or being subjected to sexual exploitation and prostitution, despite the provisions of the new Criminal Code, which, in article 317, defines and sanctions the various forms of trafficking in persons and, in article 338, criminalizes and sanctions forced labour (arts. 2, 11–14 and 16). 33. The State party should: (a) Introduce legislation that expressly and comprehensively prohibits all forms of violence against children in all settings; (b) Implement existing relevant legislation and systematically launch investigations and proceedings whenever cases of suspected child abuse, including sexual violence, are uncovered, so that the perpetrators are punished and the victims receive reparation, including rehabilitation and health care services that encompass psychological support; (c) End the phenomenon of domestic servitude by establishing effective monitoring mechanisms and ensure the effective and systematic registering of complaints, investigations and convictions; (d) Continue awareness-raising and training campaigns on child protection for teachers as well as traditional and religious leaders. Human rights defenders, suppression of demonstrations and excessive use of force 34. The Committee is deeply concerned at reports of repeated attacks against political opponents and human rights defenders seeking to exercise their right to freedom of association or expression, who have reportedly been regularly subjected to acts of torture or ill-treatment in places of police custody and detention following arbitrary arrest and detention. While it notes the State party’s recent efforts to observe public demonstrations and ensure that they pass off safely, the Committee regrets the excessive and disproportionate use of force by law enforcement officials during peaceful public demonstrations, which is at odds with the legislative framework governing the exercise of freedom of peaceful assembly and protest. The Committee notes with concern that on 28 February 2018 law enforcement officials reportedly fired live ammunition to disperse protesters who had spontaneously gathered in Lomé to denounce a rise in the price of petroleum products, resulting in the death of one person and leaving several others injured. While the Committee welcomes the investigations launched with regard to the 2017 demonstrations, the State party should expedite their progress and report their findings to the Committee. Lastly, the Committee is alarmed by reports of the intimidation, arrest and arbitrary detention of human rights defenders. In August 2017, several human rights defenders, members of the Nubueke and En Aucun Cas movements and the Front Citoyen Togo Debout movement, were reportedly threatened, attacked, intimidated, arbitrarily detained and, in some cases, tortured and subjected to ill-treatment (arts. 2, 12, 13 and 16). 35. As a matter of urgency, the State party should: (a) Release all persons who remain in custody for having defended their opinions or demonstrated peacefully, and guarantee the payment of compensation to victims of arbitrary detention; (b) Ensure that political opponents, human rights defenders and other representatives of civil society are protected from acts of intimidation and violence to which they may be exposed because of their activities; (c) Ensure that impartial and effective investigations are conducted without delay into any allegation of excessive use of force, torture, ill-treatment or extrajudicial executions targeting political opponents, human rights defenders and members of civil society organizations, and bring proceedings as necessary; Training on the provisions of the Convention 36. While it welcomes the State party’s efforts to educate and train law enforcement officials, including criminal investigation officers and gendarmes, in human rights-related 8 GE.19-14561