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Urgent campaigns / Statements / Mexico / 2015 / March

28th session of the Human Rights Council: Statement delivered during the interactive dialogue with Special Rapporteur on Torture

OMCT_Oral_Statement_28HRC
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HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL - 28th session
Item 3: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Torture
10 March 2015

Oral statement delivered by The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT),
a non-governmental organisation in general consultative status


Mr President, Mr Special Rapporteur,

The OMCT welcomes the report of Mr Mendez on children and torture and calls for States to use its recommendations as a blueprint for reforms.

OMCT witnesses daily in its global work the abuse of liberty depriving measures; corporal punishment; overuse of medication; and other practices that amount to torture and ill-treatment and even death, as it happened in Río de Janeiro a few days ago. Despite the unequivocal obligation of States to ensure the protection of children under its custody, children often have no voice or means to report abuses committed against them and when they succeed in reporting, there is little accountability and reprisals are commonplace.

OMCT believes that civil society monitoring of places of deprivation of liberty together with independent bodies with a special focus on children’s rights can prevent practices of torture and foster State accountability.

OMCT also wishes to welcome Mr. Mendez support for the Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty with the appointment of an independent expert, which is an important step in giving more visibility to this problematic.

Mr. Special Rapporteur, turning to your report on Mexico, 

It reflects our findings and identifies systemic shortcomings in the legal and institutional framework, as well as deep-rooted disruptive practices. OMCT sees as a positive signal the increase of court decisions excluding evidence obtained under torture; however, defective investigations remain a stumbling barrier to the eradication of a pervasive culture of impunity. Thus, we urge the Mexican authorities to take decisive steps to implement the SRT’s recommendations, starting with a thorough application of the Istanbul Protocol by independent and adequately trained medical personnel.

Mr. Special Rapporteur, OMCT full-heartedly endorses your recommendations on Tunisia, notably regarding the need to reverse impunity.

We call upon the Government of Tunisia to promptly reform national legislation in order to improve procedural safeguards governing the arrest, interrogation and pre-charge detention; and to make increasing use of non-custodial measures of punishment for offenses such as drug charges. This would also help managing the difficult conditions of detention that in themselves amount to inhuman treatment.

We thank you.

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Date: March 11, 2015
Activity: Rights of the Child, Urgent campaigns
Type: Statements
Country: Mexico, Tunisia
Subjects: Torture and violence

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