CAT/C/ARM/CO/3
It should also create adequate conditions for victims of violence against women, including domestic
violence and trafficking, to exercise their right to make complaints. It should
thoroughly investigate all allegations of domestic violence and trafficking, and
prosecute and punish all perpetrators.
The Committee recommends that State party ensure the implementation of the 2008 National
Referral Mechanism for Trafficked Persons and provide services for victims of
trafficking, including those relating to provision of shelter, access to professional
medical and psychological assistance, and training programmes.
Conditions of detention
19.
While welcoming current efforts by the State party to improve conditions of detention in
prisons, including the refurbishing of some facilities and work on the construction of a new
prison, the Committee remains concerned at continued reports of severe overcrowding,
understaffing and inadequate food and health care. The Committee is concerned by
allegations of corruption in prison, including among groups of prisoners in whose
behaviour prison officials appear to acquiesce. It is also concerned by reports that some
victims of violence or discrimination are singled out by such groups of prisoners for
abusive treatment based on perceived sexual orientation or nationality. The Committee
regrets that there has not been a significant increase in the implementation of alternative
measures to detention by the courts, and also regrets the lack of a confidential mechanism
for detainees to make complaints of torture or ill-treatment. The Committee notes the
establishment of public monitoring groups, consisting of representatives of
non-governmental organizations, mandated to carry out monitoring of penitentiary
institutions and police stations. However, the Committee is concerned that the Police
Monitoring Group is not granted full access to police stations (arts. 2, 11 and 16).
The State party should continue to take effective measures to improve conditions in places of
detention and to reduce overcrowding in such places. The Committee recommends
that the State party increase its efforts to remedy prison overcrowding, including
through the application of alternative measures to imprisonment in line with the
United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (the Tokyo
Rules) and to provide the Committee with information on any probation service to be
established in charge of alternative punishment, conditional release and
rehabilitation.
The State party should take necessary measures to eliminate any form of violence or discrimination
against detainees based on sexual orientation or nationality, including all abusive and
discriminatory actions taken by prison inmates against other detainees. It should
establish a confidential system for receiving and processing complaints regarding
torture or ill-treatment and ensure that the system is established in all places of
deprivation of liberty. The State party should further ensure that all complaints
received are promptly, impartially and effectively investigated, and the perpetrators
punished with appropriate penalties.
The State party should ensure that the Police Monitoring Group has access to all police stations,
including the ability to conduct unannounced visits. It should also take effective
measures to keep under systematic review all places of detention, including the
existing and available health services therein, and should take measures to eliminate
corruption in prisons.
Post-electoral violence
20.
The Committee notes with concern that despite efforts made by the State party to
investigate allegations of the use of excessive and indiscriminate force by police in
responding to clashes between police and protesters following the February 2008 elections,
the investigation by the Special Investigation Service into the 10 deaths that occurred
7