CAT/OP/KGZ/2
I. Introduction
1.
In accordance with its mandate under the Optional Protocol to the Convention
against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the
Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment
or Punishment carried out its second visit to Kyrgyzstan from 11 to 22 September 2018.
Kyrgyzstan acceded to the Convention against Torture on 5 September 1997 and acceded to
the Optional Protocol on 29 December 2008.
2.
The Subcommittee members conducting the visit were: Victor Zaharia (head of the
delegation), Marija Definis-Gojanovic, Kosta Dragan Mitrovic, Abdallah Ounnir, June
Caridad Pagaduan Lopez and Aneta Stanchevska. The Subcommittee was assisted by three
human rights officers from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights, two United Nations security officers and four interpreters.
3.
The Subcommittee visited 22 places of deprivation of liberty, including temporary
and pretrial detention facilities, prison colonies, children’s institutions and psychiatric and
psychoneurological institutions (see annex I). The Subcommittee held meetings with
relevant authorities of Kyrgyzstan, the national preventive mechanism, the Ombudsman’s
Office, members of civil society and the United Nations Resident Coordinator (see annex
III).
4.
The principal objectives of the visit were (a) to visit a range of places of deprivation
of liberty in order to assist the State party in fully implementing its obligations under the
Optional Protocol, to strengthen the protection of persons deprived of their liberty from the
risk of torture and ill-treatment and (b) to provide advice and technical assistance to the
national preventive mechanism of Kyrgyzstan and to consider the extent to which the
Kyrgyz national authorities are supporting its work and responding to its recommendations,
taking account of the Subcommittee’s guidelines on national preventive mechanisms
(CAT/OP/12/5). In addition, the Subcommittee aimed to monitor the implementation of the
recommendations made by the Subcommittee following its first visit to the country from 19
to 28 September 2012 (CAT/OP/KGZ/1 and Corr.1). The visit provided an opportunity for
the Subcommittee to review the progress in implementing the recommendations contained
in the previous report and the remaining efforts of the State party.
5.
The Subcommittee held meetings with members of the national preventive
mechanism, which permitted the Subcommittee to examine the mechanism’s mandate and
working methods and to consider how best to improve the effectiveness of the mechanism.
In order to better understand how the mechanism works in practice, the Subcommittee also
visited, together with the national preventive mechanism, a place of deprivation of liberty,
which had been chosen by the mechanism (see annex II). That visit was led by the national
preventive mechanism, with the members of the Subcommittee as observers.
6.
At the end of the visit, the delegation presented its confidential preliminary
observations orally to government authorities and officials and the national preventive
mechanism.
7.
In the present report, the Subcommittee sets out observations and recommendations
addressed to the national preventive mechanism of Kyrgyzstan. The recommendations are
made in accordance with the Subcommittee’s mandate to offer training and technical
assistance to, and to advise and assist, the national preventive mechanism, in accordance
with article 11 (b) (ii) and (iii) of the Optional Protocol. The report remains confidential
unless the national preventive mechanism decides to request the Subcommittee to make it
public, in accordance with article 16 (2) of the Optional Protocol.
8.
The Subcommittee draws the attention of Kyrgyzstan and the national preventive
mechanism to the Special Fund established under the Optional Protocol, as only
recommendations contained in those Subcommittee visit reports that have been made public
can form the basis of applications for the funding of specific projects under the Special
Fund.
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