A/HRC/43/49/Add.1
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
23 January 2020
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Forty-third session
24 February–20 March 2020
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Visit to the Comoros
Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman
or degrading treatment or punishment*, **
Summary
From 12 to 15 June 2019, the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment conducted an official visit to the Comoros.
Regrettably, the Special Rapporteur was obliged to suspend his visit halfway through, as
full access was obstructed to places of detention and the modalities did not comply with the
terms of reference of the mandate. The Special Rapporteur submitted a report, despite
suspending the visit, due to the urgent need for reforms and investment. While visits to
places of detention were cut short, the information collected by the Special Rapporteur and
what he was able to observe support his findings that the conditions in places of detention
amounted to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. There were also
credible indicators that some law enforcement officials engaged in practices that amount to
torture and ill-treatment in the context of policing during demonstrations, upon arrest and
during interrogation.
* Agreement was reached to publish the present report after the standard publication date owing to
circumstances beyond the submitter’s control.
** The summary of the report is being circulated in all official languages. The report itself, which is
annexed to the summary, is being circulated in the language of submission and French only.
GE.20-01012(E)