United Nations
CAT
/OP/PRY/2
Distr.: General
Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other
Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
30 May 2011
English
Original:
Spanish
Subc ommittee on Prevention of To rture and Other Cruel , Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment
Report on the follow-up visit to the Republic of Paraguay from 13 to 15 September 2010 * , **
Contents
Paragraphs Page
I.Introduction1–83
II.Facilitation of the visit and cooperation9–104
III.Observations and recommendations based on the follow-up visit11–674
A.National preventive mechanism11–164
B.Safeguards against torture and ill-treatment17–395
C.Situation of persons deprived of their liberty40–6710
Annex
List of senior officials and other persons with whom the delegation met17
I.Introduction
1.In accordance with article 13, paragraph 4, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman
or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (hereinafter referred to as the “Optional Protocol”), the Subcommittee on Prevention of
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (hereinafter referred to as the “Subcommittee”) carried out
its first follow-up visit to Paraguay from Monday, 13 September, to Wednesday, 15 September 2010.
2.The purpose of this visit was to follow-up on the observations and recommendations issued by the Subcommittee in its report on its
first regular visit to the country, which took place on 10–16 March 2009. That report was initially transmitted to the State party on a
confidential basis on 24 August 2009. On 8 March 2010, Paraguay submitted its replies to the recommendations and requests for
information made by the Subcommittee. On 4 June 2010, the State party announced its decision to make the report public. The
report was then posted on the web page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay.
3.Pursuant to the Optional Protocol, the Subcommittee proposed a follow-up visit to the State party in a note dated 12 April 2010.
The State party agreed to that proposal in a note dated 22 April 2010.
4.The delegation named by the Subcommittee to carry out the follow-up visit was composed of Mr. Mario Luis Coriolano and Mr.
Wilder Tayler Souto, who served as the head of delegation. The Subcommittee members were assisted by Mr. Hernán Vales and
Mr. Ricardo Freitas Da Silva (security officer) from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
(OHCHR).
5.During this visit, the Subcommittee focused on follow-up to its recommendations, particularly those regarding the national
preventive mechanism and the situation of persons deprived of their liberty at the Tacumbú National Prison in Asunción and at police
stations.
6.In addition to visiting places of detention, the representatives of the Subcommittee met with a number of officials and with members
of civil society. The names of these persons are listed in the annex.
7.This report on the Subcommittee’s first follow-up visit to Paraguay presents its findings and observations in that regard. It also
reiterates some of the Subcommittee’s earlier recommendations and notes the progress made with respect to recommendations that
are being acted upon. The Subcommittee took information from various sources into consideration in order to determine the State
party’s degree of compliance with those recommendations. These sources included interviews with persons deprived of their liberty,
Government officials and representatives of civil society, the State party’s replies to the observations made in the report on the March
2009 visit, and the press.