A/HRC/7/3/Add.4 page 23 (k) Confessions made by persons in custody without the presence of a lawyer and that are not confirmed before a judge shall not be admissible as evidence against the persons who made the confession. Serious consideration should be given to video and audio taping of interrogations, including of all persons present; (l) All allegations of torture and ill-treatment should be promptly and thoroughly investigated by an independent authority with no connection to the authority investigating or prosecuting the case against the alleged victim; (m) Any public official found responsible for abuse or torture in this report, either directly involved in torture or ill-treatment, as well as implicated in colluding in torture or ignoring evidence, should be immediately suspended from duty, and prosecuted. The Special Rapporteur urges the Government to thoroughly investigate all allegations contained in appendix I to the present report with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice; (n) Victims of torture and ill-treatment should receive substantial compensation proportionate to the gravity of the physical and mental harm suffered, as well as adequate medical treatment and rehabilitation; (o) The declaration should be made with respect to article 22 of the Convention against Torture recognizing the competence of the Committee against Torture to receive and consider communications from individuals who claim to be victims of a violation of the provisions of the Convention; Conditions of detention (p) The release of non-violent offenders from confinement in pretrial detention facilities should be expedited, beginning especially with the most vulnerable groups, such as children and the elderly, and those requiring medical treatment subject to non-custodial measures (i.e. guarantees to appear for trial, at any other stage of the judicial proceeding and, should occasion arise, for execution of the judgement); (q) Pretrial detainees and convicted prisoners should be strictly separated; (r) Detainees under 18 should be separated from adult ones; (s) Females should be separated from male detainees; (t) The Criminal Procedure Code should be amended to ensure that the automatic recourse to pretrial detention, which is the current de facto general practice, is authorized by a judge strictly as a measure of last resort, and the use of non-custodial measures, such as bail and recognizance, are increased for non-violent, minor or less serious offences; Corporal punishment (u) Abolish all forms of corporal punishment, including sharia-based punishments;