CAT/C/CYP/CO/4
for further investigation. Solitary confinement should remain a measure of last resort,
imposed for as short a time as possible, under strict supervision and judicial review.
Detention of unaccompanied children and families
19.
While acknowledging the efforts of the State party, through a ministerial decision
communicated on 5 May 2014, to limit detention for the purpose of the deportation of
unaccompanied children and families with children, the Committee notes with concern that
such detention is still permitted if a mother with minor children “refuses to cooperate” or
during the age verification process for an unaccompanied minor. In both cases, the families
or minors will be detained “in suitable establishments that will be created in due time with
[European Union] Solidarity Funds”. The Committee also notes with concern that children
over the age of 8 can be forcibly separated from their parents and placed under the care of
the Director of the Social Welfare Services (arts. 11 and 16).
The State party should ensure that unaccompanied children and families with
children are not detained except as a measure of last resort and, in the latter case,
after alternatives to detention have been duly examined and exhausted and in the best
interest of the child, and for as short a period as possible. The right of children not to
be forcibly separated from their parents should be respected, no matter what the age
of the child. The State party in such instances should refrain from detaining
unaccompanied children and families with children if there are no suitable places to
host them.
Training
20.
While taking note of the various training programmes for police forces and the
future training to be developed for prison staff, the Committee notes that the State party has
not provided information on regular training on the provisions of the Convention for all
officials involved in the treatment and custody of persons deprived of their liberty. The
Committee is also concerned that the guidelines set out in the Istanbul Protocol have not
been fully incorporated in investigations into cases of torture or ill-treatment (art. 10).
The State party should:
(a)
Develop modules on the provisions of the Convention in the periodic and
compulsory training programmes for all law enforcement officials, judges,
prosecutors, prison and immigration officers and others;
(b)
Provide regular training on the Istanbul Protocol to forensic doctors,
medical personnel and other officials involved in dealing with detainees and asylum
seekers in the investigation and documentation of cases of torture;
(c)
Develop and apply a methodology for evaluating the effectiveness of
educational and training programmes relating to the Convention and the Istanbul
Protocol.
Missing persons
21.
The Committee welcomes the work of the bi-communal Committee on Missing
Persons in Cyprus (CMP), which had identified, as at 22 November 2013, a total of 359
Greek Cypriots, out of the 1,493 officially reported missing, and 97 Turkish Cypriots, out
of the 502 officially reported missing as a result of the inter-communal fighting (1963–
1964) and of the events of July 1974 and afterwards. The Committee also notes that the
mandate of the bi-communal CMP is limited to looking into cases of Cypriots reported
missing, “without attempting to attribute responsibility for the deaths of any missing
persons or make findings as to the cause of such deaths”. The bi-communal CMP is also not
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