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Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment) become an integral part of the training
provided to physicians. Furthermore, the State party should develop and implement
a methodology to assess the effectiveness and impact of such training/educational
programmes on the reduction of cases of torture, violence and ill-treatment.
Data collection
12.
The Committee regrets the fact that for certain areas covered by the Convention, the State
party was unable to supply statistics, or appropriately disaggregate those supplied (e.g. by age,
gender and/or ethnic group). During the current dialogue, this occurred with respect to, for
example, the ethnicity of inmates and detainees, particularly the Roma (art. 11)
The State party should take such measures as may be necessary to ensure that its
competent authorities, as well as the Committee, are fully apprised of these details
when assessing the State party’s compliance with its obligations under the
Convention.
Conditions of detention
13.
The Committee is concerned that, notwithstanding the measures taken by the State party
to improve conditions of detention, there is continuing overcrowding in prisons. The Committee
is also concerned at allegations of some cases of ill-treatment by custodial/prison staff, including
beatings and verbal abuse (arts. 11 and 16)
The State party should continue its efforts to alleviate the overcrowding of
penitentiary institutions, including through the wider application and use of
alternative sentencing introduced by the new Act on Criminal Proceedings and the
establishment of additional prison facilities as needed. The prison management
should deliver a clear message to custodial/prison staff that ill-treatment is not
acceptable.
Ill-treatment and excessive use of force
14.
The Committee notes with concern some allegations of excessive use of force and illtreatment by law enforcement officials, especially in the course of or in relation to apprehension.
In this respect, the Committee is particularly concerned at reports emerging of alleged excessive
use of force and ill-treatment by the police during the demonstrations in Budapest in September
and October 2006 (arts. 12 and 16)
The State party should give higher priority to efforts to promote a culture of human
rights by ensuring that a policy of zero tolerance is developed and implemented at
all levels of the police-force hierarchy as well as for all staff in penitentiary
establishments. Such a policy should identify and address the problems, and should
include the new Code of Conduct for Police Interrogations and introduce a code of
conduct for all officials as well as regular monitoring by an independent oversight
body. The State party should take measures to ensure that law enforcement officials
only use force when strictly necessary and to the extent required for the
performance of their duty.