UNITED NATIONS E Distr. Economic and Social GENERAL Council E/CN.4/2005/62/Add.1 30 March 2005 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH/FRENCH/SPANISH COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Sixty-first session Agenda item 11 (a) CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE QUESTIONS OF TORTURE AND DETENTION Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Report of the Special Rapporteur, Theo van Boven Addendum Summary of information, including individual cases, transmitted to Governments and replies received* * The present document is being circulated in the languages of submission only as it greatly exceeds the page limitations currently imposed by the relevant General Assembly resolutions. GE.05-13280 E/CN.4/2005/62/Add.1 page 2 Contents Paragraphs Page Introduction………….………………………………………..…… 1-6 5 Summary of cases transmitted and replies received………….…… 6 Afghanistan .…………………………………………..................... 7-8 6 Algeria……………………………………………………………... 9-27 7 Angola……………………………………………………….…..… 28-75 11 Argentina………………………………………………………...… 76-94 17 Azerbaijan......................................................................................... 95-111 22 Bahamas…........................................................................................ 112-113 25 Bahrain…………………………………………………………..… 114-120 26 Bangladesh……………………………………………………...…. 121-158 28 Bolivia………………………………………………………...…… 159-160 36 Brazil……………………………………………………………..... 161-163 37 Burkina Faso…………………………………………………....….. 164 38 Burundi………………………………………………………...…... 165-187 38 Cameroon……………………………………………………..…… 188-218 43 Canada…………………………………………………………..…. 219-220 46 Chad…………………………………………………………...…… 221 47 Chile…………………………………………………………..…… 222-225 47 China………………………………………………………..……... 226-386 49 Colombia…………………………………………………..………. 387-481 80 Côte d’Ivoire……………………………………………..………… 482-484 99 Croatia…………………………………………………..…………. 485-486 101 Cuba………………………………………………………..………. 487-507 101 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.…………………..……… 508-515 106 Democratic Republic of the Congo………………………..………. 516-561 109 Djibouti………………………………………………………….… 562 120 Dominican Republic………………………………………………. 563 120 Ecuador……………………………………………………………. 564-565 121 El Salvador...………………………………………………………. 566-570 121 Egypt………………………………………………………………. 571-652 122 Equatorial Guinea………………………………………………….. 653-658 137 Eritrea……………………………………………………………… 659-666 139 Ethiopia……………………………………………………………. 667-672 142 France……………………………………………………………… 673-675 144 Georgia…………………………………………………………….. 676-683 145 Germany…………………………………………………………… 684-688 146 Guatemala…………………………………………………………. 689-692 148 Guinea…………………………………………………………..…. 693 149 Haiti…………………………………………………………….…. 694-707 149 Honduras……………………………………………………….….. 708-722 152 India…………………………………………………………….…. 723-795 156 Indonesia………………………………………………………..…. 796-817 171 Iran (Islamic Republic of) ……………………………………........ 818-853 176 Israel……………………………………………………………….. 854-865 185 E/CN.4/2005/62/Add.1 page 3 Paragraphs Page Jamaica…………………………………………………………….. 866-867 188 Jordan…………………………………………………………….... 868-869 189 Kuwait……..………………………………………………………. 870-871 190 Kyrgyzstan..………………………………………………………... 872-877 191 Lao People’s Democratic Republic…………………………….….. 878-881 193 Lebanon……………………………………………………………. 882-884 195 Liberia……………………………………………………………... 885 195 Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.………………………………...………… 886-891 196 Malawi….……………………………………………………….…. 892-893 198 Malaysia……………………………………………………….…... 894-903 199 Maldives………………………………………………………….... 904-913 202 Mauritania…………………………………………………………. 914-916 205 Mexico…………………………………………………………….. 917-960 206 Morocco…………………………………………………………… 961-977 221 Myanmar…………………………………………………………... 978-1010 227 Nepal………………………………………………………………. 1011-1181 232 Netherlands………………………………………………………… 1182-1183 261 Nigeria……………………………………………………………... 1184-1193 262 Pakistan……………………………………………………………. 1194-1283 264 Papua New Guinea………………………………………………… 1284 277 Paraguay…………………………………………………………… 1285-1286 277 Peru………………………………………………………………… 1287 278 Philippines…………………………………………………………. 1328-1347 287 Poland……………………………………………………………… 1348-1349 291 Republic of Korea……………………………………………….… 1350-1355 292 Republic of Moldova........................................................................ 1356-1357 295 Romania…………………………………………………………… 1358-1385 296 Russian Federation………………………………………………… 1386-1433 300 Rwanda……………………………………………………………. 1434-1436 316 Saudi Arabia………………………………………………..……… 1437-1459 317 Serbia and Montenegro….………………………………………… 1445-1458 320 Sierra Leone……………………………………………………….. 1460 323 Slovakia……………………………………………………………. 1461-1463 323 Spain………………………………………………………………. 1464-1482 323 Sri Lanka…………………………………………………………... 1483-1634 331 Sudan………………………………………………………………. 1635-1681 359 Swaziland………………………………………………………….. 1682 373 Sweden…………………………………………………………….. 1683-1684 373 Switzerland………………………………………………………… 1685-1686 374 Syrian Arab Republic……………………………………...………. 1687-1720 374 Tajikistan…………………………………………………………... 1721-1726 381 Thailand…………………………………………………………… 1727-1737 382 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia…….………………. 1738-1742 385 Togo……………………………………………….………………. 1743-1747 386 Trinidad and Tobago……………………………….……………… 1748 388 Tunisia……………………………………………………………... 1749-1755 388 E/CN.4/2005/62/Add.1 page 4 Paragraphs Page Turkey……………………………………………………………... 1756-1812 391 Turkmenistan……………………………………………………… 1813-1820 405 Uganda…………………………………………………………….. 1821-1836 407 Ukraine……………………………………………………………. 1837-1843 411 United Arab Emirates……………………………………...………. 1844 415 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland…..………. 1845-1856 415 United States of America………………………………….………. 1857-1873 419 Uzbekistan…………………………………………………………. 1874-1914 426 Venezuela………………………………………………….………. 1915-1964 437 Viet Nam…………………………………………………..………. 1965-1971 448 Yemen………………………………...…………………………… 1972 450 Zambia…………………………………………………………….. 1973 450 Zimbabwe…………………………………………………………. 1974-1980 451 E/CN.4/2005/62/Add.1 page 5 Introduction 1. This addendum to the report of the Special Rapporteur contains, on a country-by- country basis, summaries of reliable and credible allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment that were brought to the attention of the Special Rapporteur, and were transmitted to the Governments concerned. It also contains replies from Governments. This addendum does not illustrate the state of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment throughout the world, but rather reflects the state of information brought to the attention of the Special Rapporteur. 2. The Special Rapporteur would like to recall that in transmitting these allegations to Governments, he does not make any judgement concerning the merits of the cases, nor does he support the opinion and activities of the persons on behalf of whom he intervenes. The prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment is a non-derogable right, and every human being is legally and morally entitled to protection. When the Special Rapporteur receives reliable and credible information that gives grounds to fear that a person may be at risk of torture or other forms of ill-treatment, he may transmit an urgent appeal to the Government concerned. The communications sent by the Special Rapporteur have a humanitarian and preventive purpose, and do not require the exhaustion of domestic remedies. Governments are requested to clarify the substance of the allegations, take steps to protect the person’s rights, and are urged to investigate the allegations and prosecute and impose appropriate sanctions on any persons guilty of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. 3. Observations by the Special Rapporteur have also been included where applicable. Such observations, which sometimes note the most recent findings of other supervisory bodies, in particular United Nations treaty bodies, are usually made when the information suggests that there may be a problem extending beyond the exceptional or isolated incident. References to press statements of the Special Rapporteur are also cited. 4. During the period under review, i.e. from 16 December 2003 to 30 November 2004, the Special Rapporteur sent 223 letters* to 77 Governments. The Special Rapporteur also sent 330 urgent appeals* to 72 Governments on behalf of individuals for whom fears had been expressed that they might be at risk of torture and other forms of ill-treatment. Government responses received up to 31 December 2004 have been included. The responses received after that date will be duly reflected in the addendum to the report of the sixty-second session of the Commission. 5. The Special Rapporteur appreciates the timely responses received from Governments to the letters and urgent appeals transmitted. He regrets that many Governments fail to respond, or do so selectively, and that responses to older cases remain outstanding in large part. 6. Owing to restrictions on the length of documents, the Special Rapporteur has been obliged to reduce considerably details of communications sent and received; attention is given * Includes joint action with other Special Procedures of the Commission on Human Rights. E/CN.4/2005/62/Add.1 page 6 to information specifically relating to the allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. As a result, requests from Governments to publish their replies in their totality could not be acceded to. SUMMARY OF CASES TRANSMITTED AND REPLIES RECEIVED Afghanistan 7. By letter dated 2 June 2004, sent jointly with the Special Rapporteur