CAT/C/SWE/CO/2
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Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against
Transnational Organized Crime, on 1 July 2004;
(c) The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women, on 24 April 2003; and
(d) The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the
involvement of children in armed conflict, on 20 February 2003.
4.
Furthermore, the Committee welcomes the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the
Convention, on 14 September 2005, and the recent visit of the Subcommittee on Prevention of
Torture (SPT) to Sweden from 10 to 14 March 2008.
5.
The Committee notes with satisfaction the ongoing efforts at the State level to reform its
legislation, policies and procedures in order to ensure better protection of human rights, including
the right not to be subjected to torture and ill-treatment, in particular:
(a) The amendment of the Swedish Aliens Act in 2006, which introduces a new appeal
system, includes an explicit provision on non-refoulement and provides for the granting of
refugee status to persons claiming fear of persecution on grounds of gender and sexual
orientation;
(b) The adoption of new legislation on fundamental safeguards, including access to a
lawyer and notification of custody that entered into force on 1 April 2008 (law no.
2008:67);
(c)
The adoption of a national human rights plan of action for the period 2006-2009;
(d) The adoption, in November 2007, of the action plan to combat men’s violence
against women, violence and oppression in the name of honour and violence in same-sex
relationships (Govt. Comm. 2007/08:39); and
(e) The common Action Plan developed by the Border Control Police, the Migration
Board and the Social Services which aims to minimise the risks of unaccompanied
asylum-seeking children disappearing and becoming victims of trafficking.
6.
The Committee commends the State party for its commitment to international human rights
obligations, in particular the clear and unequivocal stance that the prohibition of torture and other
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment is absolute.
7.
The Committee notes with satisfaction that the Government has allocated additional
resources to the Prison and Probation Administration to create better facilities, both in prisons and
remand prisons, and to build a number of new prisons and remand prisons to increase their capacity.
8.
The Committee notes with appreciation that the State party is continuously reviewing and
analysing its compliance with international human rights obligations through commissions and
studies established for such purpose and the appointment of special investigators.