A/HRC/10/44
page 4
I. INTRODUCTION
1.
The present report, the third by the current mandate holder, is submitted in accordance with
Human Rights Council resolution 8/8.
2.
Chapter I contains a summary of the activities of the Special Rapporteur between August
and December 2008, since the submission of his interim report to the General Assembly
(A/63/175). In chapter III, the Special Rapporteur focuses on the relationship between the death
penalty and the prohibition of cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. In chapter IV, he raises
questions relating to a human rights-based approach to drug policies.
3.
The summary of communications sent by the Special Rapporteur from 15 December 2007
to 14 December 2008 and the replies received thereto from Governments by 31 December 2008
are found in document A/HRC/10/44/Add.1. Document A/HRC/10/44/Add.2 contains a
summary of the information provided by Governments and non-governmental organizations on
the implementation of the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur following his country
visits. With regard to addendum 2, the Special Rapporteur wishes to state that, starting with the
present report, the format of the follow-up report has been modified with the aim of rendering it
more reader-friendly and of facilitating the identification of the steps taken in response to
recommendations. For this reason, follow-up tables have been created containing the
recommendations of the Special Rapporteur, a brief description of the situation when the country
visit was made, an overview of steps taken in previous years and included in previous follow-up
reports, and more detailed information on the specific measures taken in the current year. These
tables are submitted to the respective Governments for their input and comments before the
report is published. Documents A/HRC/10/44/Add.3 and 4 are reports of country visits to
Denmark and the Republic of Moldova, respectively. Document A/HRC/10/44/Add.5 is a
preliminary note on his visit to Equatorial Guinea.
II. ACTIVITIES OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR
4.
The Special Rapporteur draws the attention of the Council to his fourth interim report
submitted to the General Assembly (A/63/175), which he presented on 23 October 2008. In that
report, he described his activities for the period January to July 2008, the period since the
submission of his report to the Council (A/HRC/7/3 and addenda).
A. Communications concerning human rights violations
5.
During the period from 15 December 2007 to 14 December 2008, the Special Rapporteur
sent 78 letters of allegations of torture to 48 Governments and 155 urgent appeals to
49 Governments on behalf of persons who might be at risk of torture or other forms of
ill-treatment.
B. Country visits
6.
In the period since the submission of his report to the General Assembly, the
Special Rapporteur has completed a mission to Equatorial Guinea (9 to 18 November 2008). A
preliminary note on his findings is to be found in addendum 5 to this report.