CAT/C/TKM/CO/2
(c)
The amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure of 4 August 2011,
31 March 2012 and 22 December 2012;
(d)
The amendments to the Penalties Enforcement Code of 25 March 2011, 29
August 2013 and 1 March 2014;
(e)
The adoption on 26 March 2011of the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals in
Turkmenistan Act;
(f)
The adoption on 31 March 2012 of the Migration Act;
(g)
The adoption on 4 August 2012 of the Refugees Act;
(h)
The adoption on 22 June 2013 of the Turkmen Citizenship Act;
(i)
The amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences outlawing the use
of torture, violence and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment during administrative proceedings, which entered into force on 1 January 2014;
(j)
The adoption on 23 May 2015 of the Health Protection Act, which provides
for an independent medical expert to examine persons deprived of their liberty;
(k)
The adoption on 12 January 2016 of the Act on State Protection of Victims,
Witnesses and Other Participants in Criminal Proceedings.
5.
The Committee also welcomes the initiatives of the State party to amend its policies,
programmes and administrative measures to give effect to the Convention, including:
(a)
The adoption of the National Strategy for the Prevention and Control of
Tuberculosis for 2008-2015, the drawing up of the National Tuberculosis Prevention and
Control Programme for 2010-2015 and the holding on 26 February 2015 of a round table on
issues related to tuberculosis in prisons;
(b)
The approval by the President of national plans of action for gender equality
for 2015-2020, for combating trafficking in persons for 2016-2018 and for human rights for
2016-2020;
(c)
The presidential order of 1 June 2012 adopting the General Programme of
Turkmenistan on the Development of the Juvenile Justice System;
(d)
The presidential decision of 11 April 2014 on improving conditions of
detention in correctional institutions, remand centres and special rehabilitation centres,
including with respect to detainees’ diet and living conditions.
C.
Principal subjects of concern and recommendations
Issues pending from the previous reporting cycle
6.
The Committee notes the information provided by the State party on 31 August
2012 on the implementation of the recommendations contained in paragraphs 9, 14 and 15
(b) and (c) of the Committee’s concluding observations on the initial report of
Turkmenistan (CAT/C/TKM/CO/1), in which the State party was called upon to ensure the
provision, in practice, of safeguards against torture; provide access for international
monitoring bodies, either governmental or non-governmental, to all detention facilities;
permit visits to the country by the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman
or degrading treatment or punishment and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention;
inform the relatives of individuals detained incommunicado of their fate and whereabouts,
and facilitate family visits; and ensure prompt, impartial and thorough investigations into
all outstanding cases of alleged disappearances. Nonetheless, the Committee regrets that the
State party has not implemented its recommendations.
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