CAT/C/SVK/CO/3
(a)
Amendment of the Criminal Code to extend the legal basis of torture to
include cases in which a public authority instigates or gives express or tacit consent to
torture, in 2009;
(b)
Amendments to the law on the execution of prison sentences, in 2013;
(c)
Amendments to the law on the execution of remand detention, in 2013;
(d)
Adoption of Act No. 78/2015, on control of the execution of some decisions
through technical means, relating to the serving of alternative sentences, and the application
of paragraph 65a of the Criminal Code, concerning the penalty of house arrest, in 2015;
(e)
Amendment of article 179 (1) of the Criminal Code and the Rules of
Criminal Procedure, modifying the definition of human trafficking to include new forms of
punishable conduct, in 2013;
(f)
Amendment of the School Law that, inter alia, regulates enrolment in special
classes, in 2015.
6.
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)
Adoption of the strategy for Roma integration up to 2020, on 11 January
2012, and of the national action plan for the Decade of Roma Inclusion for the years 20112015;
(b)
Adoption of the concept for the stabilization and modernization of the
judiciary, in 2013;
(c)
Adoption of the national action plan for the prevention and elimination of
violence against women for 2014-2019, on 18 December 2013;
(d)
Establishment of the Coordination and Methodology Centre for Prevention
and Elimination of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence and of a free 24-hour
State-funded helpline for women who are experiencing violence, in March 2015;
(e)
Adoption of the national strategy for the protection of children against
violence, on 15 January 2014, and of the national action plan for children for 2013-2017,
and establishment of a national coordination centre for addressing issues related to violence
against children;
(f)
Adoption of the national programme to fight human trafficking for 20152018 and establishment of a national hotline for the protection of human trafficking
victims.
C.
Principal subjects of concern and recommendations
Definition of torture
7.
While noting certain amendments to national legislation in relation to the crime of
torture, the Committee is concerned that a comprehensive definition of torture
incorporating all elements of article 1 of the Convention, in particular a specific reference
to discrimination, is not included in the Criminal Code (arts. 1 and 4).
The Committee urges the State party to adopt a definition of torture that covers all
elements contained in article 1 of the Convention and ensure that penalties for torture
are commensurate with the gravity of this crime in accordance with article 4 (2) of the
Convention. In this regard, the Committee draws attention to its general comment
No. 2 (2007) on the implementation of article 2 by States parties, in which it states, in
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