aims to bring the Code into line with the provisions of the Convention and other international human rights instruments to which Benin is party. The Criminal Code is to undergo the same kind of review. 4.Provision has also been made to ensure access to legal assistance for persons without sufficient resources. C.Recommendations on deprivation of liberty by the police and gendarmerie and all other recommendations of the Subcommittee 5.Benin welcomes the recommendations on deprivation of liberty by the police and gendarmerie and all other recommendations of the Subcommittee. A working meeting will be held, however, with the agencies involved to examine measures for their implementation. II.Replies to requests for information A.National preventive mechanism 1.Steps taken to foster public debate at this later stage about the adoption of the legislation on the national preventive mechanism and its implementation 6.The draft legislation endorsed by the National Commission on Legislation and Codification that was submitted to the SecretariatGeneral of the Government for referral to the next stages in the procedure (examination by the Supreme Court and the National Assembly) has not advanced any further. 7.To overcome this difficulty, the Chairperson of the Law Commission of the National Assembly, in consultations with the Committee on the Prevention of Torture in Africa of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights during a promotional visit to Benin, suggested that: The reform of the Code of Criminal Procedure takes into account the issues associated with visits by independent bodies to places of deprivation of liberty. 8.In October 2009, a seminar organized by the Law Commission attended by members of the justice system (magistrates, lawyers, staff of the Ministry of Justice, Legislation and Human Rights, parliamentarians and other stakeholders) provided the opportunity for a review of the Code of Criminal Procedure, with most of the recommendations made by the treaty bodies being incorporated into that instrument. 9.As regards the national preventive mechanism, the Code of Criminal Procedure provides for visits to detention centres by bodies set up under the international conventions to which Benin is party. 10.It is stated that an implementing decree will establish the powers and functions of those bodies. 11.Once the legislation on the Code of Criminal Procedure is adopted, a decree will be passed incorporating the recommendations of the Subcommittee in that text. Extensive consultations will also be held prior to the drafting of that decree. 12. T he Subcommi t tee will be informed of all amendments to the legislation . B.Legal and institutional framework 1.Offences provided for in articles 114 (onwards), 119 and 186 of the Criminal Code 13.Statistics on the number of complaints and sanctions imposed in accordance with these provisions are not available. 2.Further information for 2006–2008 about the mandate of the Inspectorate-General of the Police, the Technical Inspectorate, the Inspectorate-General of the Security Forces and the Police Department, the number of complaints received per year and the number of complaints pursued per year, for which offences 14.This information is not available. 15.The information requested from the police has not yet been received. 16.The information will be forwarded as soon as possible. 3.Statistical information on the activities for the past three years of the Department for Civil and Criminal Cases of the Ministry of Justice with regard to its mandate to receive complaints of illtreatment by security forces and abuse of the system of police custody, as well as more detail on the outcome of such complaints 17.No complaints were received by the Department for Civil and Criminal Cases during the period in question. No statistics are available. 4.Copies of any inspection reports of visits undertaken by those bodies whose responsibilities

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