CAT/C/TKM/CO/1 leads to their suicide and death in some cases. While noting the information provided by State representatives, the Committee remains concerned about reports that investigations are inadequate or absent (arts. 2 and 16). The Committee recommends that the State party: (a) forces; Reinforce the measures to prohibit and eradicate hazing in the armed (b) Ensure prompt, impartial and thorough investigation and, as appropriate, prosecution of all incidents, including cases of suicides and death allegedly caused by ill-treatment and mental pressure, and report publicly on the outcomes of such prosecutions; (c) Take measures to provide the rehabilitation of victims, including through appropriate medical and psychological assistance. Refugees and asylum-seekers 23. The Committee welcomes the State party’s decision to grant citizenship and permanent residency to thousands of Tajik refugees in 2005. The Committee is concerned that asylum-seekers’ access to independent, qualified and free legal advice and representation is limited in Turkmenistan and that persons whose asylum claims are rejected in the first instance may not be able to lodge well-reasoned appeals. It is further concerned by the delay in adopting the amended Refugee Law and the lack of information on asylum applications and refugees, as well as the number of expulsions. The Committee also regrets the lack of information about safeguards to ensure that persons are not returned to countries where they face real risk of torture and about any use of “diplomatic assurances” as a way to circumvent the absolute prohibition of non-refoulement established in article 3 of the Convention (art. 3). The State party should take the necessary measures: (a) To expedite the adoption of the amended Refugee Law and revise its current procedures and practices to bring them into line with international standards, in particular article 3 of the Convention; (b) To ensure that no person is expelled, returned or extradited to a country where there are substantial grounds for believing that he or she would be in danger of being subjected to torture, and to consider transferring the power to decide the matter from the President to the judiciary; (c) To guarantee asylum-seekers, including those that may face detention, access to independent, qualified and free legal advice and representation, in order to ensure that the protection needs of refugees and other persons in need of international protection are duly recognized and refoulement is prevented; (d) To establish and ensure the implementation of a standardized and accessible asylum and referral procedure at border points, including at international airport and transit zones; (e) To establish a system for collecting and sharing statistical and other information on asylum-seekers, including those in detention, whose applications are pending with the authorities, as well as on persons extradited, expelled or returned by the State party and the countries to which they have been sent; and to provide the Committee with the relevant data. 11