CAT/C/RWA/CO/2 United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Distr.: General 21 December 2017 Original: English Committee against Torture Concluding observations on the second periodic report of Rwanda* 1. The Committee against Torture considered the second periodic report of Rwanda (CAT/C/RWA/2) at its 1596th and 1599th meetings, held on 23 and 24 November 2017 (CAT/C/SR.1596 and 1599), and adopted the present concluding observations at its 1611th meeting, held on 4 December 2017. A. Introduction 2. The Committee welcomes the submission of the second periodic report of Rwanda and the written replies to the list of issues (CAT/C/RWA/Q/2/Add.1). 3. The Committee appreciates having had the opportunity to engage in a constructive dialogue with the State party’s delegation and the responses provided orally and in written form to the questions and concerns raised during the consideration of the report. B. Positive aspects 4. The Committee notes with satisfaction that the State party ratified in 2015 the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. 5. The Committee welcomes the following legislative measures taken by the State party in areas of relevance to the Convention: (a) The adoption, in 2017, of the amendment to the Penal Code removing the requirement of requesting court permission before carrying out an abortion in the cases where abortion is legally accepted; (b) The adoption, in 2014, of Law No. 13 ter/2014 relating to refugees; (c) The adoption, in 2013, of Law No. 69/2013 on extradition, which recognizes the principle of non-refoulement. 6. The Committee welcomes the State party’s initiatives to amend its policies and procedures in order to afford greater protection of human rights and to apply the Convention, in particular: (a) The application, in 2017, of the Integrated Electronic Case Management System in all Rwandan courts; * Adopted by the Committee at its sixty-second session (6 November–6 December 2017). GE.17-23071(E) 

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