United Nations
General Assembly
A/HRC/22/53/Add.1
Distr.: General
28 January 2013
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Twenty-second 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 of punishment,
Juan E. Méndez
Addendum
Mission to Tajikistan * **
Summary
The Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
or punishment undertook a visit to Tajikistan from 10 to 18 May 2012.
In the past two years, Tajikistan has introduced some encouraging changes in the
normative framework, including, in April 2012, a new criminal provision defining torture
and providing penalties for it. The broad awareness-raising campaign on prohibition of
torture in international and domestic law initiated by the authorities is a step in the right
direction.
Significant gaps in legislation, policies and law enforcement practices, however,
remain. The Special Rapporteur identifies a number of overarching issues critical to
combating torture and ill-treatment effectively.
The Special Rapporteur calls upon the Government to take decisive steps to ensure
immediate and effective implementation of his recommendations, and calls on the
international community to assist Tajikistan in its fight against torture and ill-treatment by
providing it with appropriate financial and technical support.
*
**
GE.13-10474
The summary of the present report is circulated in all official languages. The report, which
is annexed to the summary, is circulated in the language of submission and in Russian only.
Late submission.