CAT/C/ARM/CO/3
whom are reportedly conscientious objectors who objected to the alternative service on
grounds that it is supervised exclusively by military personnel (art. 16).
The Committee recommends that the State party adopt the draft law on alternative military service
and that it review the detention of all individuals imprisoned for refusing to perform
the alternative service on religious grounds.
Non-refoulement
24.
The Committee regrets the lack of information regarding safeguards against torture in
extradition and expulsion. Furthermore, it is concerned about the lack of information on
any diplomatic assurances secured by the State party in its return of applicants for asylum
to neighbouring countries and in the implementation of the reported extradition agreement
between the National Police of Armenia and the Police of the Russian Federation, and data
concerning the number of people extradited pursuant to that agreement. The Committee is
concerned by reports that the State party issued extradition warrants without allowing those
concerned to exercise their right to appeal in accordance with article 479, paragraph 2, of
the Criminal Procedure Code and without complying with the normal procedures for
extradition (art. 3).
The State party should refrain from seeking and accepting diplomatic assurances from a State
where there are substantial grounds for believing that a person would be at risk of
being subjected to torture. The State party should provide detailed information to the
Committee on all cases where such assurances have been provided.
The Committee also recommends that the State party respect its non-refoulement obligations under
article 3 of the Convention, including the right to appeal the issuance of an extradition
warrant, as provided for in article 479, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Training
25.
The Committee welcomes the organization of human rights training programmes for law
enforcement and military officials during the period under consideration. However, the
Committee regrets the lack of information on monitoring and evaluation of the impact of
these training programmes in reducing incidents of torture and ill-treatment. The
Committee also regrets the lack of information on training on the use of the Manual on the
Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Istanbul Protocol) in such training programmes (art.
10).
The State party should strengthen training programmes for law enforcement officials, military
personnel and prison staff on the requirements of the Convention and assess the
impact of such training programmes. The State party should ensure that relevant
officials receive training on the use of the Istanbul Protocol to identify signs of torture
and ill-treatment.
26.
The Committee invites the State party to consider ratifying the other core United Nations
human rights treaties to which it is not yet party, namely the International Convention on
the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the
Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
27.
The State party is requested to disseminate widely the report submitted to the Committee
and the Committee’s concluding observations, in appropriate languages, through official
websites, the media and non-governmental organizations.
28.
The State party is invited to update its common core document (HRI/CORE/1/Add.57), in
accordance with the requirements of the common core document contained in the
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