A/66/44
68.
The Rapporteur sends reminders requesting the outstanding information to each of
the States for which follow-up information is due, but not yet submitted. The status of the
follow-up to concluding observations may be found in a chart maintained on the web pages
of the Committee. As of 2010, the Committee established a separate web page for followup: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cat/follow-procedure.htm. State party responses
are posted on this web page, as are follow-up submissions from NGOs, and the letters from
the Rapporteur to the State party (see para. 70, below).
69.
The Rapporteur expresses appreciation for the information provided by States
parties regarding those measures taken to implement their obligations under the
Convention. In addition, she has assessed the responses received as to whether all the items
designated by the Committee for follow-up have been addressed, whether the information
provided responds to the Committee’s concern, and whether further information is required.
Each letter responds specifically and in detail to the information presented by the State
party. Where further information has been needed, she has written to the concerned State
party with specific requests for further clarification. To date, 22 State parties have provided
additional clarifications in response to these requests. With regard to States that have not
supplied the follow-up information at all, she requests the outstanding information.
70.
In May 2007, the Committee decided to make public all of the Rapporteur’s letters
to the States parties. The Committee further decided to assign a United Nations document
symbol number to all States parties’ replies to the follow-up and also place them on its
website.
71.
Since the recommendations to each State party are crafted to reflect the specific
situation in that country, the follow-up responses from the States parties and letters from
the Rapporteur requesting further clarification address a wide array of topics. Among those
addressed in the letters sent to States parties requesting further information have been a
number of precise matters seen as essential to the implementation of the recommendation in
question. A number of issues have been highlighted to reflect not only the information
provided, but also the issues that have not been addressed but which are deemed essential to
the Committee’s ongoing work in order to be effective in taking preventive and protective
measures to eliminate torture and ill-treatment.
72.
The Rapporteur’s activities in the past year have included attending two InterCommittee Meetings in Geneva where follow-up procedures were discussed with members
from other human rights treaty bodies, the first from 28 to 30 June 2010 and the second, an
Inter-Committee Meeting Working Group on Follow-up, in January 2011. Also at the June
meeting, the Rapporteur addressed a session of the meeting of special procedures mandate
holders about the Committee’s follow-up procedure. In the absence of field visits by the
treaty body expert members, the reports of the special procedures mandate holders can
provide documentation and analysis to assist the Committee and its Rapporteur in the
assessment of the follow-up responses received from States parties. After the Rapporteur
has assessed responses from States parties, and other relevant materials, she prepares
follow-up letters to countries as warranted, in consultation with the Committee’s own
designated country rapporteurs.
73.
The Rapporteur is undertaking a study of the Committee’s follow-up procedure; she
began with an examination of the number and nature of topics identified by the Committee
in its requests to States parties for follow-up information. She reported to the Committee on
some of her findings at the forty-fifth and forty sixth sessions. Globally, the most frequently
addressed follow-up topics have been: (a) conduct prompt, impartial, and effective
investigations; (b) prosecute and sanction perpetrators of torture or ill-treatment; (c) ensure
or strengthen legal safeguards for persons detained; (d) ensure the right to complain and
have cases examined; (e) conduct training and awareness-raising; (f) bring interrogation
techniques in line with the Convention and, specifically, abolish incommunicado detention;
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