Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

CAT/C/14
18 June 1991

Distr.
GENERAL

Original: ENGLISH

COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE

1. Under article 19, paragraph 1, of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, "the States parties shall submit to the Committee against Torture, through the Secretary-General of the United Nations, reports on the measures they have taken to give effect to their undertakings under the Convention, within one year after the entry into force of the Convention for the State party concerned. Thereafter the States parties shall submit supplementary reports every four years on any new measures taken and such other reports as the Committee may request".

2. The general guidelines for the submission of periodic reports appearing below would assist the Committee to fulfil the tasks entrusted to it pursuant to article 19 of the Convention.

3. Periodic reports by States parties should be presented in two parts, as follows:

Part I: Information on new mesures and new developments relating to the implementation of the Convention following the order of articles 1 to 16, as appropriate

(a) This part should describe in detail:

(i) Any new measures taken by the State party to implement the Convention during the period extending from the date of submission of its previous report to the date of submission of the periodic report to be considered by the Committee;

(ii) Any new developments which have occurred during the same period and are relevant to implementation of the Convention;

(b) The State party should provide, in particular, information concerning:

(i) Any change in the legislation and in institutions that affect the implementation of the Convention on any territory under its jurisdiction in particular on places of detention and on training given to law enforcement and medical personnel;

(ii) Any new case law of relevance for the implementation of the Convention;

(iii) Complaints, inquiries, indictments, proceedings, sentences, reparation and compensation for acts of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;

(iv) Any difficulty which would prevent the State party from fully discharging the obligations it has assumed under the Convention.

Part II: Additional information requested by the Committee

This part should contain any information requested by the Committee during its consideration of the preceding report by the State party, unless it has been provided by the representatives of the Government of the State party, either in a subsequent communication by the Government or in an additional report which the Government has presented in accordance with rule 67, paragraph 2, of the Committee's rules of procedure.

* It should be noted that the consolidated guidelines for the initial part of State party reports to be submitted under the various international human rights instruments, including the Convention (HRI/l991/1), were sent to States parties by note verbale G/SO 221 (1) of 26 April 1991.