9. The main actions taken by the Office of the Ombudsman in response to complaints or allegations of human rights violations include
an immediate request for a report from the authorities of the detention centre where the events occurred, or the dispatch of the
director or secretary of the First Rotation Office to the place of detention in question in order to take the person’s statement, record
the visible condition of his or her body and bring any detected violations of rights to the attention of the competent authority for
investigation.
10.All proceedings are recorded in case files containing the complainant’s first name and surname, together with information on the
matter being reported and the proceedings undertaken. A backup electronic file containing the same information is also kept.
11.All complaints lodged with the Office of the Ombudsman are first registered and then transmitted to the competent body having
the authority to investigate the alleged incidents. The Office of the Ombudsman then performs a monitoring role and ensures that due
process is observed.
Paragraph 242
12.With the aim of promoting policies on human rights, the current Administration, by means of resolution No. 542 of 16 September
2009, established the Human Rights Department. The operating regulations of the Department are being studied with a view to their
approval, and its organization chart includes a planning, operations and evaluation section. One of the functions of the section is to
inspect the infrastructure of police stations where persons are held in custody and evaluate it in terms of the conditions prescribed by
international humanitarian standards. The purpose here is to improve prisoners’ conditions in accordance with the provisions of article
3 of National Police Organization Act No. 222/93 and in conformity with the Constitution, the Criminal Code and the Code of
Criminal Procedure.
13.The Office of the National Police Commander has been working with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
under a cooperation agreement aimed at incorporating international human rights standards and humanitarian principles, as applicable
to police duties, in the education and training of its staff, as well as in police procedures and internal regulations.
14.In keeping with the Government’s commitment to promote and respect human rights, the executive branch, by Decree No. 1811
of 15 April 2009, established the Human Rights Directorate, which is attached to the Office of the Deputy Minister for Political
Affairs. Its objective is to promote and protect human rights within the Ministry of the Interior and its divisions. In addition, it is also
charged with promoting dialogue and cooperation among civil society organizations, academic institutions, State institutions and the
media, as well as other stakeholders, on topics relating to public security and human rights.
15.Efforts have also been directed towards the formulation of State policies on law enforcement and the police force’s role in society
that incorporate various aspects of State policy on criminal matters. The latter provides for scientific research into the causes of
criminal behaviour and the effectiveness of different penalties to serve as a basis for State efforts to combat crime through the use of
penalties, preventive measures and other means.
16.Lastly, the police force has made significant progress from the humanitarian standpoint, despite the fact that many aspects of the
new directives have not yet been fully implemented. Since the establishment of the National Police in 1992, the powers and duties of
the police force have been changing in order to keep pace with the times, to ensure respect for the rights of all inhabitants of Paraguay
and to make the transition from a repressive to a preventive police force with a greater social role and local presence.
Paragraph 243
17.The Government of Paraguay would like to point out that visits to prison facilities, particularly those located in the capital, are not
announced in advance. On a weekly basis, staff from the Prison Supervision Unit enter into direct contact with male and female
prison inmates; these inmates are not pre-selected by prison staff. A request has been made through the appropriate channels for
increased allocations of human and financial resources.
Paragraph 245
18.With regard to this point, we wish to report the following.
19.A total of 3.2 per cent of the general central government budget is allocated to the judiciary, which is composed of the Supreme
Court, the electoral courts, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Council of Justice and the Tribunal for the Prosecution of Judges.
20.The national general central government budget approved for the current financial year totals PYG 15,542,869,035,120 (fifteen
trillion, five hundred forty-two billion, eight hundred sixty-nine million, thirty-five thousand one hundred twenty guaraníes).
Description
Amount allocated
NGB (central government) 2009
Judiciary (Supreme Court)
PYG 15 542 869 035 120
PYG 497 840 015 356
46.54%
3.20%
NOTE
(*)
(*) Share of 2009 national general budget (NGB 2009).
21.The share of the Supreme Court budget allocated to the criminal courts is approximately 6.38 per cent, or PYG 31,774,182,409
(thirty-one billion, seven hundred seventy-four million, one hundred eighty-two thousand four hundred nine guaraníes).
22.The percentage increase in the budget of the Supreme Court for the period 2007/08 may be seen in the following table.
Financial year
Amount approved
Increase
%