presented to Parliament for ratification. Commissioner Khattra informed the delegation that he expects that Parliament would ratify the OPCAT during the next Session of Parliament. Responding to questions from the Vice Chairperson, the Commissioner confirmed that Mauritania does not have specific legislation criminalizing torture, but underscored that there was a strong political will to fight against torture. He cited as an example, the organization of a seminar by the National Human Rights Commission in collaboration with his department on the criminalization of torture that was to take place on 28 March 2012. Reacting to the issue of the seminar, the Chairperson emphasized the need to adopt specific legislation criminalizing torture and the necessity of speeding up the ratification process of OPCAT. 30. On the issue of slavery, the delegation was informed that Law No. 2007.048 of 03 September 2007 criminalizes slavery and slave-like practices. The delegation learnt that the position of the Government is that even though the legacy of slavery still exist, slavery as an official practice in Mauritania does not exist. Officials of the High Commission explained that hte existence of the legacy of slavery is attributable to poverty, which has prompted the Government to put in place specific programs to help uplift the affected segments of the population from poverty. The delegation was also informed that the Program for the Eradication of the Legacy of Slavery (Program pour l’Eradication des Sequelles d’Esclavage – PESE), is currently being implemented in areas that were previously known to habour slavery, while a second program has been instituted in border areas and other parts of the country, targeting populations that live in extreme poverty. On how victims of slavery could access remedies provided by the law, the delegation was informed that the judiciary could be seized and all administrative authorities such as Governors and Prefects are under a legal obligation to immediately act once an allegation of slavery is brought to their attention. The delegation was further informed that former slaves who do not have means of subsistence could also seize the National Human Rights Commission to provide basic needs for their survival. Commissioner Khattra stated that there have only been isolated cases of slavery and that anytime such a case is reported, it is effectively dealt with. 31. The implementation of the decision of the African Commission on Communication 54/91, 61/91, 98/93, 164/97, 196/97, 210/98 - Malawi Africa Association, Amnesty International, Ms. Sarr Diop, Union Interafricaine des Droits de l’Homme and RHADDHO, Collectif des Veuves et Ayant Droit, Association Mauritanienne des Droits de l’Homme v. Mauritania, was also discussed. The Chairperson informed the High Commissioner that the African Commission would conduct an oral hearing on the implementation of the decision at the 51st Ordinary Session. Commissioner Khattra promised to make available to the African Commission, a 13 | P a g e