COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE DISCUSSES DRAFT GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING REPORTS

18 November 2004


The Committee against Torture this morning began considering a document containing draft guidelines for States parties submitting their initial reports to the Committee on their efforts to give effect to the provisions of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

The purpose of the guidelines is to assist States 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.

The document, which was prepared by Committee Expert Odel Vedel Rasmussen, will replace an earlier version adopted by the Committee in 1991 and will complement any guidelines that might be produced jointly by the treaty bodies for an expanded core document. Committee Experts examined the guidelines by section with a view to adopting a final text.

Committee Experts agreed that the guidelines would be particularly useful to countries which were late in submitting their initial reports, and in particular to those who were unable to do so due to reasons beyond their control. An Expert said the guidelines will build on the experience of the Committee on reporting procedures.

When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m. this afternoon, it will hear responses from the delegation of the United Kingdom to questions posed by Committee Experts yesterday.