[prisoner-rights] CAT 33rd session: Committee continues discussion on draft guidelines for submitting reports

UNITED NATIONS
Press Release
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).