CAT/C/KOR/CO/3-5 Korea and, on the other hand, the criminal investigation processes for violations of the National Security Act; (d) Adopt clear and transparent procedures ensuring the right to appeal, with suspensive effect, decisions concerning the deportation of persons escaping from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea while they are being reviewed, in order to comply with its obligations under article 3 of the Convention; (e) Provide updated information on the number of persons who have escaped the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, including those in detention, during the reporting period. Independent complaints mechanism 19. The Committee is concerned at the low rate of acceptance of complaints relating to torture or ill-treatment by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea and by the relative hotline and at the lack of information regarding complaints lodged with the Human Rights Bureau of the Ministry of Justice and the Human Rights Division of the Ministry of National Defence (arts. 2, 11-14 and 16). 20. The Committee invites the State party to: (a) Establish an independent and effective mechanism for addressing complaints of torture and ill-treatment in all places of deprivation of liberty; (b) Facilitate the submission of complaints by victims of torture and illtreatment, including by obtaining medical evidence in support of their allegations; (c) Ensure in practice that complainants in all places of detention are protected against any ill-treatment or intimidation as a consequence of the complaint made or any evidence given; (d) Ensure that all reports of excessive use of force by law enforcement officers and prison staff are investigated promptly, effectively and impartially by an independent mechanism with no institutional or hierarchical connection between the investigators and the alleged perpetrators, ensure that all persons under investigation for having committed acts of torture or ill-treatment are immediately suspended from their duties and remain so throughout the investigation, while ensuring that the principle of presumption of innocence is observed, punish those convicted and provide redress to victims. Conditions of detention 21. The Committee is concerned about: (a) Continued overcrowding in correctional facilities, the amount of living space available to each inmate, which does not meet international standards, and the insufficient number of prison staff; (b) inmates; Insufficient access to medical care and to outside medical facilities by (c) The frequent use of protective devices and restraints to punish inmates and about the fact that the duration of their use is decided by prison guards; (d) The absence of age- and gender-disaggregated data on persons in places of deprivation of liberty, including prisons, during the reporting period (arts. 2, 11-13 and 16). 22. The State party should: (a) Take specific measures to improve the material conditions in correctional facilities and reduce overcrowding with a view to bringing them in line with the international standards enshrined in the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules); (b) Take urgent measures to increase the number of prison guards, hire additional medical personnel, further expand the room available to inmates in 6