CAT/C/CHN/CO/4
page 13
considered as “relatively minor offences” can lead to only disciplinary or administrative
punishment (arts. 2, 4 and 12).
The State party should ensure that all allegations of torture and ill-treatment are
investigated promptly, effectively and impartially. It should also ensure that all acts
of torture are punishable by appropriate penalties which take into account their
grave nature, as set out in article 4, paragraph 2, of the Convention.
Definition of torture
32.
While noting the State party’s assertion that all acts that may be described as “torture”
within the meaning of article 1 of the Convention are criminally punishable in China, the
Committee reiterates its previous conclusions and recommendations (A/55/44, para. 123) that the
State party has not incorporated in its domestic law a definition of torture that fully complies
with the definition contained in the Convention.
33.
The Committee is concerned that the provisions relating to torture refer only to physical
abuse and do not include the infliction of severe mental pain or suffering. It is also concerned
that article 247 of the Criminal Law, article 43 of the Criminal Procedure Law and the Supreme
People’s Procuratorate Provisions on the Criteria for Filing Dereliction of Duty and Rights
Infringement Criminal Cases restrict the prohibited practice of torture to the actions of judicial
officers and officers of an institution of confinement and do not cover acts by “other persons
acting in an official capacity”, including those acts that result from instigation, consent or
acquiescence of a public official. Moreover, these provisions do not address the use of torture for
purposes other than to extract confessions (art. 1).
The State party should include in its legislation a definition of torture that covers all
the elements contained in article 1 of the Convention, including discrimination of
any kind. The State party should ensure that persons who are not judicial officers
and officers of an institution of confinement, but who act in an official capacity or
with the consent or acquiescence of a public official can be prosecuted for torture.
The State party should also ensure that its legislation prohibits the use of torture for
all intents and purposes.
Death penalty cases and conditions of detention on death row
34.
While noting that the State party has provided data on the large numbers of detainees
serving death sentences, death sentences with a two-year reprieve, sentences for life
imprisonment and imprisonment above five years, the Committee regrets that such data is not
disaggregated according to the type of sentence and that specific data on death sentences is not
publicly available according to article 3 of the Regulation on State Secrets and the specific scope
of each level of secrets in the work of the People’s Procuratorates issued by the Supreme
People’s Procuratorate. The Committee expresses concern at the conditions of detention of
convicted prisoners on death row, in particular the use of shackles for 24 hours a day, amounting
to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Moreover the Committee is concerned about the
questions raised by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the question of torture
(A/HRC/7/3/Add.1), on the removal of organs from persons sentenced to death without free and
informed consent (arts. 11 and 16).