CAT/C/GRC/CO/7 United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Distr.: General 3 September 2019 Original: English Committee against Torture Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of Greece* 1. The Committee against Torture considered the seventh periodic report of Greece (CAT/C/GRC/7) at its 1761st and 1764th meetings (see CAT/C/SR.1761 and 1764), held on 24 and 25 July 2019, and adopted the present concluding observations at its 1779th meeting, held on 7 August 2019. A. Introduction 2. The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for accepting the simplified reporting procedure, as this allows for a more focused dialogue between the State party and the Committee. It regrets, however, that the report was submitted more than a year late. 3. The Committee appreciates having had the opportunity to engage in a constructive dialogue with the State party’s delegation, and the responses provided to the questions and concerns raised during consideration of the report. B. Positive aspects 4. The Committee welcomes the ratification of or accession to the following international instruments by the State party: (a) The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in 2012; (b) The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, in 2014; (c) The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, in 2015; (d) The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, in 2018; (e) The Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, in 2014. 5. The Committee also welcomes the State party’s initiatives to revise its legislation in areas of relevance to the Convention, including: (a) The enactment of Law 3907/2011, providing for the establishment of the Greek Asylum Service, which became fully operational on 7 June 2013; * Adopted by the Committee at its sixty-seventh session (22 July–9 August 2019). GE.19-14981(E) 

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