CAT/OP/HND/3
I. Introduction
1.
In accordance with its mandate as set forth in the Optional Protocol to the
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment (hereinafter referred to as “the Optional Protocol”), members of the
Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment
or Punishment (hereinafter referred to as “the Subcommittee”) visited the Republic of
Honduras from 30 April to 4 May 2012.
2.
The primary objective of the visit was to provide advisory services and technical
assistance to the national preventive mechanism of Honduras as specified in article 11 (b)
of the Optional Protocol. The visit was also intended to assist in building the capacity and
reinforcing the mandate of the national mechanism for the prevention of torture and other
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (hereinafter referred to as “the
national preventive mechanism”). Another aim of this visit was to assess the extent of
compliance with the recommendations made by the Subcommittee during its first mission
to the country, in 2009.
3.
This report sets out a series of recommendations for the National Committee for the
Prevention of Torture and Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (CONAPREV), which
is the national preventive mechanism of Honduras. These recommendations are made in
line with the Subcommittee’s duty to offer training and technical assistance with a view to
capacity-building and to advise and assist national preventive mechanisms in evaluating
their needs and identifying measures for providing greater protection for persons deprived
of their liberty against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment in accordance with article 11 (b), subparagraphs (ii) and (iii), of the Optional
Protocol.
4.
This report will be forwarded to the national preventive mechanism on a confidential
basis; it will be up to the national preventive mechanism to decide whether or not to make it
public. The Subcommittee does, however, recommend that the national preventive
mechanism make the report public and requests that it be notified of the mechanism’s
decision in that regard.
5.
The Subcommittee will prepare a separate confidential report for the Honduran
authorities in which it will make recommendations to the State party.
II. Recommendations for the national preventive mechanism
6.
Members of the Subcommittee and CONAPREV jointly visited six places of
detention.1 The choice of those six facilities was agreed upon by the two bodies. The only
stipulation in this respect was that the visits should include certain places of detention that
had been visited by members of the Subcommittee in 2009. The planning of the visits was
also a joint undertaking. During the visits themselves, members of the Subcommittee
played a secondary role, while members of the national preventive mechanism led the
delegation.
7.
In the course of these visits, members of the Subcommittee were able to observe the
working methods used by CONAPREV. Their overall impression was a good one.
1
GE.13-40547
The places of detention which were visited were: the Manchén district police station, the Belén
district police station, CORE7, the National Criminal Investigation Directorate, the Marco Aurelio
Soto National Penitentiary and the Comayagua Prison Farm.
3