United Nations
General Assembly
A/HRC/19/61/Add.2
Distr.: General
21 February 2012
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Nineteenth session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,
Juan E. Méndez
Addendum
Mission to Kyrgyzstan* **
Summary
The Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
or punishment undertook a visit to Kyrgyzstan from 5 to 13 December 2011.
The Special Rapporteur expresses his appreciation to the Government for the
invitation. He was encouraged by the concrete steps taken to curb torture, but remains
concerned that there is a significant shortfall in legislation and law enforcement practices.
The lack of effective legislative safeguards against torture and ill-treatment and the
insignificant sanction provided for the crime of torture inevitably create an environment
conducive to impunity.
On the basis of the information provided during meetings held with decisionmakers, victims and civil society representatives, the Special Rapporteur concludes that the
use of torture and ill-treatment to extract confessions remains widespread. There is a
serious lack of sufficiently speedy, thorough and impartial investigation into allegations of
torture and ill-treatment. The general conditions in most places of detention visited amount
to inhuman and degrading treatment.
*
**
GE.12-10604
The summary of the present report is being circulated in all official languages. The report
itself, contained in the annex to the summary, is circulated in the language of submission
and in Russian only.
Late submission.