United Nations
General Assembly
A/HRC/28/68/Add.4
Distr.: General
16 March 2015
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Twenty-eighth 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 the Gambia* **
Summary
The Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
or punishment undertook a visit to the Gambia from 3 to 7 November 2014.
This was the first visit ever to the country by any of the special procedures of the
Human Rights Council, but it was compromised by the unwillingness of the Government to
grant the Special Rapporteur freedom of movement and inquiry in all areas of detention
facilities, despite its initial acceptance of the terms of reference for all country visits by
mandate holders. In the present report, the Special Rapporteur sets out his main findings
and puts forward recommendations that he hopes the Government will use to commence a
constructive dialogue with all the relevant interlocutors in order to strengthen legal
safeguards against torture and ill-treatment and improve the conditions of those deprived of
their liberty.
*
**
The summary of the present report is circulated in all official languages. The report itself, which is
annexed to the summary, is circulated in the language of submission only.
Late submission.
GE.15-05128 (E)