A/HRC/25/60/Add.2 under international standards relating to the prohibition of torture and ill treatment. The Special Rapporteur welcomes New York State's recent willingness to look into the use of solitary confinement and hopes that other State governemnts will follow suit. Futher, the Special Rapporteur urges the United States Government to take all measures necessary to ban the use of prolonged solitary confinement for juveniles, pregnant women and persons with mental disabilities. The Special Rapporteur calls on the Government to cease the prolonged isolation of Mr. Blake and to abolish or restrict the use of solitary confinement in all detention facilities throughout the United States, including New York State. (k) JUA 30/11/2012 Case No. USA 32/2012 State Reply: 25/06/2013 Alleged torture of detainee by US security forces at Bagram, Kandahar and Guantanamo Bay. 178. The Special Rapporteur thanks the Government of the United States for its reply, dated 25 June 2013, to this communication in reference to the alleged torture of Mr. Shaker Aamer by U.S. security forces at Bagram, Kandahar and Guantanamo Bay. Since 2001, it is alleged that US forces have subjected Mr. Aaner to beatings, have forced him to sit or stand in stress positions, have poured cold water on him, have provided inadequate food and clothing, have subjected him to sexual abuse, have subjected him to forced feeding, have placed him in solitary confinement, have denied him independent medical examinations, and have forced him to make false statements and confessions under duress. Mr. Aamer has allegedly never been charged with a crime, and has been cleared for release from Guantanamo Bay since 2007. The US Government alleges in its reply that Mr. Aamer’s continued detention at Guantanamo is in accordance with domestic US law, as well as international human rights and humanitarian law. The US alleges that prison officials have used proportionate levels of force against Mr. Aamer for order and disciplinary purposes, and that Mr. Aamer has never been placed in solitary confinement. The US also reports that all claims of torture and ill treatment raised by Mr. Aamer have been found to be not credible. The US further claims that Mr. Aamer has been provided with adequate medical care and the opportunity to challenge his detention in federal court. The Special Rapporteur reiterates that each Government has the obligation to protect the right to physical and mental integrity of all persons, as set forth inter alia in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention against Torture. The Special Rapporteur further reiterates that according to articles 2 and 15 of CAT, no exceptional circumstances can be invoked to justify torture, and evidence obtained through torture “shall not be invoked in any proceedings, except against a person accused of torture as evidence that the statement was made.” Additionally, articles 9 and 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and articles 9 and 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) guarantee the right of all persons not to be deprived arbitrarily of their liberty and to fair proceedings before an independent and impartial tribunal. Due to the lack of further information, the Special Rapporteur concludes that the victim’s rights under international standards relating to the prohibition of torture and ill-treatment, as well as other standards of international human rights and humanitarian law, have been violated. The Special Rapporteur urges the US Government to provide further information regarding the alleged abuses, to conduct thorough and independent investigations, leading to the prosecution and punishment of all perpetrators, and to provide compensation for the victim. Uruguay (a) JAL 14/05/2013 Case No. URY 1/2013 State reply: 25/05/2013, 25/07/2013, 16/07/2013, 25/07/2013, 25/07/2013, 25/07/2013 and 25/07/2013 Clausura y Potencial clausura de ciertos casos judiciales relativos a desapariciones forzadas, tortura, y ejecuciones 131