COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE CONTINUES DISCUSSION ON DRAFT GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING REPORTS

19 November 2004

The Committee against Torture this morning continued its examination of a document on draft guidelines to help States parties submitting their initial reports to the Committee on their efforts to give effect to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment.

The purpose of the guidelines is to assist State parties in fulfilling their obligations under article 19 of the Convention, which obligates them to submit initial reports to the Committee on the measures they have taken to implement the Convention within one year after its entry into force in their countries and thereafter every four years unless the Committee requests other reports.

Committee members continued their examination of the draft document presented by Committee Expert Odel Vedel Rasmussen, which began yesterday. The review is being carried out with the view of adopting a final text.

The elements contained within the draft cover the areas of constitutional, criminal and administrative provisions regarding the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; the status of the Convention in the domestic legal order of the State party; and an overview of the practical implementation of the Convention at the central, regional and local levels of the State party, among other things. It also sets out procedures for States parties to provide detailed information in relation to each of the 16 articles of the Convention.

When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Monday, 22 November, it will begin considering the fourth periodic report of Greece (CAT/C/61/Add.1).