CAT/C/CPV/CO/1
United Nations
Convention against Torture
and Other Cruel, Inhuman
or Degrading Treatment
or Punishment
Distr.: General
26 January 2017
Original: English
Committee against Torture
Concluding observations on Cabo Verde in the absence of a
report*
1.
In the absence of the initial report of the State party, the Committee considered the
status of implementation of the Convention in Cabo Verde at its 1486th meeting, held on 24
November 2016 (see CAT/C/SR.1486). In accordance with rule 67, paragraph 3, of the
Committee’s rules of procedure, the Committee notified the State party that it intended to
examine the measures taken to protect or give effect to the rights recognized in the
Convention in the absence of a report and to adopt concluding observations. On the basis of
information obtained from national and international sources, including other United
Nations mechanisms, the Committee adopted the present concluding observations at its
1501st meeting, held on 5 December 2016.
A.
Introduction
2.
Cabo Verde acceded to the Convention on 4 June 1992. The State party was under
an obligation to submit its initial report under article 19, paragraph 1, of the Convention by
3 July 1993. Each year thereafter, Cabo Verde was included in the list of States parties with
overdue reports in the annual report which the Committee submits to the States parties and
the General Assembly. By a letter dated 4 September 2014, the Committee reminded the
State party about the overdue initial report and about the possibility for the Committee to
proceed with a review in the absence of such a report. On 9 April 2015, the Committee
invited the State party to accept the simplified reporting procedure to assist it in preparing
its overdue report and reiterated the Committee’s view regarding the possibility of a review
in the absence of a report as a result of the extended delay in its submission. On 10
December 2015, the Committee informed the State party of its decision to review the
situation in Cabo Verde in the absence of a report, in accordance with rule 67, paragraph 3,
of its rules of procedure, while maintaining the possibility for the State party to send its
initial report or to accept the simplified reporting procedure. The State party never
responded to these communications or to the reminders sent on 17 May 2016 and 15
August 2016. On 9 November 2016, during the Committee’s current session, the State party
informed the Committee that it would not send a delegation to the review of Cabo Verde in
the absence of a report and that the new Government in place since April 2016 had only
recently been informed of the overdue report. The State party also requested additional time
* Adopted by the Committee at its fifty-ninth session (7 November-7 December 2016).
GE.17-01140(E)