CAT/C/ARM/CO/3
The Committee urges the State party to provide information on the number of complaints filed
against public officials alleging acts that constitute torture or ill-treatment under the
Convention, as well as information on the results of investigations into those
complaints and any proceedings undertaken, at both the penal and disciplinary levels.
This information should describe each relevant allegation and indicate the authority
that undertook the investigation.
Deaths in custody
13.
The Committee is concerned at reports from the State party and non-governmental
organizations on deaths in custody, including the deaths in police custody of Vahan
Khalafyan and Levon Gulyan (arts. 2, 11, 12 and 16).
The Committee urges the State party to investigate promptly, impartially and effectively all deaths
of detainees, assessing any liability of public officials, and to ensure punishment of the
perpetrators and compensation to the families of the victims. The Committee requests
that the State party provide comprehensive updated information on all reported cases
of deaths in custody, including location, cause of death and the results of any
investigations conducted into such deaths, including punishment of perpetrators or
compensation to relatives of victims.
Complaints, reprisals and protection of victims, witnesses and human rights defenders
14.
The Committee notes with concern reports that victims of and witnesses to torture and
ill-treatment do not file complaints with the authorities because they fear retaliation. It also
notes reports that human rights defenders, as well as journalists, have experienced threats
and intimidation as a result of their work, and that the State party has taken few steps to
ensure their protection (arts. 2, 11, 12, 13, 15 and 16).
The Committee urges the State party to establish an effective mechanism to facilitate the
submission of complaints by victims and witnesses of torture and ill-treatment to
public authorities, and to ensure in practice that complainants are protected against
any ill-treatment, intimidation or reprisals as a consequence of their complaint. The
State party should take all necessary steps to ensure that human rights defenders, as
well as journalists, are protected from any intimidation or violence.
Redress, including compensation and rehabilitation
15.
While noting that the State party has paid compensation to victims further to the European
Court of Human Rights ruling of July 2011, the Committee regrets the lack of data
provided by the State party regarding the amount of any compensation awards made by the
courts to victims of violations of the Convention, including individuals who were denied
fundamental safeguards or subjected to torture or ill-treatment in detention. The Committee
is concerned that the law does not provide means of reparation for victims of torture other
than financial compensation. The Committee also notes the lack of information on any
treatment and social rehabilitation services, including medical and psychosocial
rehabilitation, provided to victims (art. 14).
The State party should strengthen its efforts to provide victims of torture and
ill-treatment with redress, including fair and adequate compensation, and as full
rehabilitation as possible. The State party should amend its legislation to include
explicit provisions on the right of torture victims to redress, including fair and
adequate compensation and rehabilitation for damages caused by torture, in
accordance with article 14 of the Convention. It should provide the Committee with
information about measures taken in this regard, including allocation of resources for
the effective functioning of rehabilitation programmes.
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