Concluding observations 236. In concluding their consideration of the report, the members of the Committee, having noted that democracy had only recently come to Panama and that promised reforms, while well under way, had not yet been completed, thanked the Panamanian delegation for the amount of information contained in its oral presentation of the report and for its comprehensive answers to the Committee's questions. They observed, however, that the report was rather brief and that it was difficult for the Committee to assimilate information given orally. Moreover, some questions had still not been answered. Accordingly, they requested that the Government of Panama, when sUbmitting its periodic report in September 1992, should take into account the Committee's remarks and the questions which still remained to be answered. It ~hould also endeavour, in its periodic report, to give a full description of the measures taken - both in its legislation and in practice - to implement each article of the Convention. 237. The Committee considered the additional report of Chile (CAT/C/7/Add.9) at its 77th and 78th meetings, on 24 April 1991 (CAT/C/SR.77 and 78). 238. The report was introduced by the representative of the State party, wpo explained that the current report had been submitted in order to complete and rectify the report that had been submitted by the former Government (CAT/C/7/Add.2) and which had provided a distorted picture of the then-prevailing situation with regard to torture. Between 1973 and 1990 torture had become an institutionalized practice, applied systematically to put pressure on the political opposition. Since the installation of the constitutional Government in 1990 a number of measures had been taken, notably with regard to the protection of detainees, which have led to a considerable decrease in the number of cases of torture. He said that at present torture in Chile could be considered as residual, not as institutional. 239. The representative further noted that his Government had withdrawn all of the reservations to the Convention made by the former military Government and that a number of legislative and other measures had been taken since the submission of his Government's additional report. These included measures aimed at the abolition of the death penalty, which had been retained for fiv~ serious crimes. Furthermore, two laws had been adopted providing for guarantees for persons held in detention. Under these laws, a significant number of offences that had been dealt with by the military tribunals were brought under the jurisdiction of the civil courts. The representative said solitary confinement could only be applied as a disciplinary measure in penitentiaries. Persons in pre-tria1 detention had access to a lawyer and in case the detention was prolonged, were to be examined by a physician. With regard to confessions made in cases before the military tribunals under the former regime, judges were obliged to hear a new declaration by the accused and to make sure that statements had not been obtained through torture or .other forms of ill-treatment. In addition, the Government had taken measures to investigate complaints and punish acts of torture. The representative drew attention to a programme of police training in the field of police ethics and human rights. Finally, he mentioned the termination of the mission of the -44-