United Nations
General Assembly
A/HRC/13/39/Add.2
Distr.: General
21 December 2009
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Thirteenth 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, Manfred
Nowak
Addendum
Mission to Uruguay*
Summary
This report presents the findings and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on
torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment on his mission to
Uruguay, which took place from 21 to 27 March 2009.
The Special Rapporteur expresses deep appreciation to the Government for the
excellent cooperation extended by the authorities during the course of the visit. He notes
the Government’s commitment to uphold and promote human rights and the progress made
since the end of the dictatorship in 1985.
The Special Rapporteur welcomes Uruguay’s ratification of the Optional Protocol to
the Convention against Torture and the recent adoption of a law establishing a National
Human Rights Commission, including a national mechanism for the prevention of torture.
On the basis of discussions with public officials, judges, lawyers and representatives
of civil society, interviews with victims of violence and with persons deprived of their
liberty, often supported by forensic medical evidence, the Special Rapporteur found few
reports of torture. However, he received frequent allegations of ill-treatment in several
detention facilities.
* The summary of the present report is being circulated in all official languages. The report
itself, contained in the annex to the summary, is being circulated in the language of
submission only. The appendix is circulated as received in the language of submission and
in Spanish.
GE.09-17655 (E)
180110