CAT/C/TKM/CO/2 United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Distr.: General 23 January 2017 Original: English Committee against Torture Concluding observations on the second periodic report of Turkmenistan* 1. The Committee against Torture considered the second periodic report of Turkmenistan (CAT/C/TKM/2) and the replies to the list of issues (CAT/C/TKM/Q/2/Add.1) at its 1480th and 1483rd meetings (see CAT/C/SR.1480 and 1483), held on 21 and 22 November 2016, and adopted the present concluding observations at its 1496th and 1497th meetings, held on 1 and 2 December 2016. A. Introduction 2. The Committee appreciates the timely submission by the State of its report and the replies to the list of issues. It welcomes the dialogue with the State party’s delegation and the oral and written replies provided to the concerns raised by the Committee. B. Positive aspects 3. The Committee welcomes the ratification of or accession to the following international instruments by the State party: (a) The 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, on 7 December 2011; (b) The 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, on 29 August 2012. 4. The Committee welcomes the State party’s initiatives to revise its legislation in areas of relevance to the Convention, including: (a) The adoption in September 2016 of the new Constitution, which, inter alia, prohibits torture and ill-treatment; (b) The adoption on 4 August 2012 of amendments to the Criminal Code, including the addition of articles 182 and 1821, which establish torture as a separate criminal offence, define torture and establish criminal liability for the use of torture, and the adoption on 9 November 2013 of amendments on alternatives to detention; * Adopted by the Committee at its fifty-ninth session (7 November-7 December 2016). GE.17-00969(E) 

Select target paragraph3