CAT/OP/PRY/2/Add.1
1.
The Government of Paraguay takes careful note of all the recommendations and
observations made by the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment established pursuant to the Optional
Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment, which were published in the document “Report on the follow-up
visit to the Republic of Paraguay from 13 to 15 September 2010” (CAT/OP/PRY/R.2). The
Government of Paraguay takes this opportunity to make the following comments.
Recommendations
A.
Introduction (para. 8)
2.
In accordance with the recommendation, the Ministry of the Interior has published
the report on the Subcommittee’s initial visit in 2009 and the report on its follow-up visit on
both its own website (www.mdi.gov.py) and the website of the National Police
(www.policianacional.gov.py).
3.
The new decisions issued by the Office of the National Police Commander relating
to human rights are also scheduled to be published, with the support of the Millennium
Challenge Threshold Program. The main recommendations of the various mechanisms of
the United Nations, such as the Subcommittee and the universal periodic review,
concerning the work of the National Police will also be published.
4.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has promised to continue publishing the
Subcommittee’s recommendations and observations on its website.
5.
The Ministry of Justice and Labour has published the Subcommittee’s
recommendations and observations on its website and plans to include them in its refresher
workshops, which will initially be for the directors of prisons and juvenile detention centres
before subsequently being extended to all staff of these institutions.
B.
National preventive mechanism (para. 16)
6.
The Government of Paraguay is pleased to report that the national preventive
mechanism was adopted by Act No. 4.288/11 of 20 April 2011. Given the brief period of
time that has elapsed since then, it is not yet possible to provide any information on its
implementation.
7.
C.
1.
A copy of the Act can be found in annex I.
Safeguards against torture and ill-treatment (paras. 18 and 19)
Legal framework
8.
The bill submitted by Senator Carlos Filizzola on 20 May 2009 which amends the
definition of the crimes of enforced disappearance (Criminal Code, art. 236) and torture
(art. 309) was forwarded for consideration to the senate committees on human rights;
constitutional affairs, the armed forces and the police; legislation, codification, justice and
labour; and equity, gender and social development. At the Subcommittee’s request, the
Government has included the bill in annex II.
9.
A committee of experts has been set up to assess the possibility of amending the
Military Criminal Code to include the new definition of torture. It is hoped that its legal
findings will suggest a solution.
GE.11-43459
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