Recommendations of the UN Committee against Torture

In May 2023, the UN Committee against Torture has reviewed the 4th periodic report of the Slovak Republic on the implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

In reviewing the compliance of Slovak legislation and practice with international human rights standards in the area of combating torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, it also took into account information provided by the Centre through our alternative report and during discussions with members of the Committee, as well as information provided by civil society organisations (the Center for Civil and Human Rights (available as pdf), the Forum for Human Rights and the European Roma Rights Centre (available as pdf)), which also play a key role in protecting and promoting the human rights.

The Committee addressed several new and repeated recommendations to the Slovak Republic, in particular concerning the strengthening of the mandate and independence of the Centre in compliance with the Paris Principles, the excessive use of force by law enforcement officials, the involuntary sterilisation of Roma women, and gender-based violence. A large part of the measures aims at ensuring impartial and effective investigations, in particular into cases of excessive use of force by law enforcement officials, including violence against Roma, domestic and gender-based violence and sterilizations of Roma women, as well as at ensuring adequate redress for victims of these crimes.

The recommendations of the UN Committee against Torture are available on the UN Committee’s website. The Centre will closely monitor their implementation at the national level.