Media Advisory

28 September 2001

AI Index AFR 63/006/2001 - News Service Nr. 172

Zambia: UN Committee to review report on torture

The United Nations Committee against Torture (the Committee) will review the periodic report of the government of Zambia in its forthcoming 27th session. The session will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 12 to 23 November 2001. As the session nears, the Committee will announce the exact date for the Zambia review.

As a state party to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the Convention), the Zambian government is obliged to submit reports on the legislative, administrative, judicial and other measures undertaken to implement the provisions of the Convention.

The review of this report by the Committee, a 10-member body of independent experts, provides a good opportunity for press discussion, both in national and international media, on the contents of the report, the questions posed by the Committee, the government's answers, and the Committee's recommendations. During the examination the Committee poses questions to the government representatives and makes comments and conclusions about implementation of the Convention.

Amnesty International has its own concerns about torture in Zambia, which it will convey to the Committee. It reported that, during the year 2000, the Zambian police continued to torture arrested suspects as a routine part of criminal investigations. Some police stations were reported to have specially adapted rooms where torture of suspects regularly took place.

Members of the public, the media and non-governmental organizations are permitted to attend the sessions but cannot actively participate in the proceedings. The UN issues press releases on the day of or on the day after the session. These are available from the Secretary to the Committee or from the UN website: http://www.unhchr.ch

As governments' reviews can be subject to last minute changes and postponements, journalists are advised to be in close contact with the Secretary to the Committee in advance of the consideration. She can be contacted at: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Palais Wilson, Geneva, Switzerland, Tel: 41 22 917 9288, Fax: 41 22 917 9002. Alternatively, you can check on the UN website.

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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566

Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW web : http://www.amnesty.org

Last updated : September 26