UN Committee against Torture to review France

GENEVA (12 April 2016) - The UN Committee against Torture is due to review France on 19 and 20 April in Geneva. France has ratified the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and so is required to be reviewed regularly by the Committee.

Among the possible issues for discussion between CAT members and a delegation from the French government are:
·    Use and length of police custody;
·    Asylum procedures;
·    Measures to reduce prison overcrowding in mainland France and overseas territories;
·    Steps to combat violence among detainees; measures to increase use of alternatives to detention;
·    Investigation, prosecution and punishment of law enforcement officers for ill-treatment and excessive use of force, including against migrants;
·    Investigations of sexual abuse of children by French soldiers in Central African Republic;
·    Updated information on measures taken by France to respond to terrorism threats. 

The review will take place at Palais Wilson in Geneva from 10:00 - 13:00 on 19 April and 15:00 - 18:00 on 20 April and be webcast live at http://www.treatybodywebcast.org/. 

The Committee will also hear from NGO representatives.

More information, including France’s submitted written report, at: http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=1011&Lang=en

The Committee will publish its concluding observations here on Friday 13 May.

A news conference is scheduled for 12:30 on Friday 13 May at Palais des Nations in Geneva when the Committee will discuss its concluding observations on France and the other countries being reviewed – Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Philippines and Israel.

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact Liz Throssell +41 (0) 22 917 9466/ +41 79 752 0488 ethrossell@ohchr.org)

Media accreditation:    http://unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpPages)/70991F6887C73B2280256EE700379C58?OpenDocument

Background

Members of the CAT are independent human rights experts drawn from around the world, who serve in their personal capacity and not as representatives of States parties. The Committee’s concluding observations are an independent assessment of States’ compliance with their human rights obligations under the treaty. More information:  http://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/cat/pages/catindex.aspx

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