* The summary record of the closed part of the meeting appears as document CAT/C/SR.865/Add.1.This record is subject to correction.Corrections should be submitted in one of the working languages. They should be set forth in a memorandum and also incorporated in a copy of the record. They should be sent within one week of the date of this document to the Editing Unit, room E.4108, Palais des Nations, Geneva.Any corrections to the records of the public meetings of the Committee at this session will be consolidated in a single corrigendum, to be issued shortly after the end of the session.GE.0845372 (E) 251108 271108 UNITED NATIONS

CAT

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

Distr.

GENERAL

CAT/C/SR.865

27 November 2008

Original: ENGLISH

COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE

Forty‑first session

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE PUBLIC PART* OF THE 865th MEETING

Held at the Palais Wilson, Geneva,

on Friday, 21 November 2008, at 3 p.m.

Chairperson: Mr. GROSSMAN

CONTENTS

CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 19 OF THE CONVENTION (continued)

Follow‑up to article 19

ORGANIZATIONAL AND OTHER MATTERS (continued)

CLOSURE OF THE SESSION

The meeting was called to order at 3.05 p.m.

CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 19 OF THE CONVENTION (continued)

Follow‑up to article 19

Mr. MARIÑO MENÉNDEZ said that in its conclusions and recommendations produced after its discussions with States parties, the Committee requested follow‑up information, to be submitted within a year, on six urgent and specific issues. Many States responded with information on the difficulties they had faced and the progress they had made, which enabled the country rapporteur to undertake an effective analysis of the situation in the State in question. Follow‑up information on all of the Committee’s recommendations should be included in the State party’s next periodic report. In some cases, the Committee would decide to request information on a situation that it felt was urgent in a given State, as in the case of Israel, where the Committee had requested a special report on the demolition of housing in the Occupied Territories. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination had an early‑warning and urgent‑action procedure, which the Committee against Torture might consider adopting in the future. Country rapporteurs had the possibility of making visits to investigate specific country situations, although thus far no visits had taken place. The practice of requesting follow‑up information had begun in the Human Rights Committee and was now used by several other treaty bodies, all of which had a similar approach to making those requests and considering the responses received.

He had been responsible for monitoring the follow‑up information submitted by the Government of the United States. The Government had responded to the Committee’s request for follow‑up information with a long, reasoned answer, made in good faith. It had reiterated its position on problems such as diplomatic assurances and reservations to the Convention. He had responded by sending a letter containing the Committee’s views. The State party had replied to that letter, and its dialogue with the Committee was ongoing.

The public part of the meeting was suspended at 3.20 p.m. and resumed at 4.55 p.m.

ORGANIZATIONAL AND OTHER MATTERS (continued)

Mr. NATAF (Secretary of the Committee), drawing attention to the proposed list of reports to be taken up at the forty‑second and forty‑third sessions which had been distributed to members, informed the Committee that its forty‑second session would be held from 27 April to 15 May 2009. The country rapporteurs would be: Ms. Belmir and Mr. Grossman for Chad; Mr. Mariño Menéndez and Ms. Gaer for Israel; Mr. Gallegos Chiriboga and Mr. Mariño Menéndez for Chile; Ms. Sveaass and Mr. Gallegos Chiriboga for Nicaragua; Mr. Grossman and Ms. Sveaass for Honduras; Mr. Kovalev and Ms. Kleopas for New Zealand; and Ms. Gaer and Mr. Wang Xuexian for the Philippines.

The forty‑third session would be held from 2 to 20 November 2009. The country rapporteurs would be: Ms. Gaer and Mr. Wang Xuexian for Azerbaijan; Ms. Kleopas and Mr. Wang Xuexian for Slovakia; Mr. Gallegos Chiriboga and Ms. Belmir for El Salvador; Mr. Mariño Menéndez and Mr. Grossman for Colombia; Ms. Sveaass and Mr. Kovalev for Moldova; Mr. Grossman and Mr. Gaye for Spain; and Ms. Sveaass and Ms. Belmir for Yemen.

The CHAIRPERSON said that, if he heard no objection, he would take it that the Committee wished to approve the list of reports for the forthcoming sessions.

It was so decided.

CLOSURE OF THE SESSION

After the customary exchange of courtesies, the CHAIRPERSON declared the forty‑first session of the Committee against Torture closed.

The meeting rose at 5.05 p.m.