Committee against Torture

Concluding observations on the third periodic report of Albania *

1.The Committee considered the third periodic report of Albania at its 2221st and 2224th meetings, held on 19 and 20 November 2025, and adopted the present concluding observations at its 2233rdmeeting, held on 27 November 2025.

A.Introduction

2.The Committee welcomes the submission of the third periodic report by the State Party, despite a five-year delay, and expresses its appreciation for the written replies to the list of issues and the supplementary information provided during and following the public consideration of the report.

3.The Committee expresses its appreciation for the open and constructive dialogue with the State Party’s delegation, as well as the responses provided to the questions and concerns raised by the Committee during the review. While welcoming the preparation of the report by an interministerial working group with input from independent institutions, the Committee regrets the lack of consultation with civil society organizations and representatives of minority groups, including the Roma community.

B.Positive aspects

4.The Committee welcomes the accession by the State Party to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on 19 February 2025 and the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 11February 2013 and of the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190), of the International Labour Organization, on 6 May 2022.

5.The Committee also welcomes the adoption of the following legislative measures by the State Party in areas relevant to the Convention:

(a)Act No. 82/2024 on the State Police, strengthening the protection of victims of gender-based violence and obligating police officers to carry out a risk assessment in cases of domestic violence, on 26 July 2024;

(b) Act No. 79/2021 on Foreigners, simplifying the legal regime and providing for some rights of foreigners, such as to healthcare, financial assistance, legal aid and employment, on 24 June 2021;

(c)Act No. 10/2021 on Asylum, providing for the obligation not to return or expel from its territory a person who has benefited from or requested asylum or temporary protection, as well as when it is reasonable to believe that the asylum-seeker may be at risk of being subjected to torture or inhuman and degrading treatment, on 1 February 2021;

(d)Act No. 81/2020 on the Rights and Treatment of Convicted Persons and Pretrial Detainees, introducing, inter alia, criteria for limitations to the rights of prisoners, to be applied, if necessary, only for the fulfilment of a lawful objective and according to the criteria provided, on 25 June 2020 and amended in 2024;

(e)Act No. 79/2020 on Execution of Penal Decisions, emphasizing the rehabilitation and social reintegration of convicted persons and providing for alternative sentencing, on 25 June 2020;

(f)Act No. 111/2017 on State-guaranteed Legal Aid, providing for free legal aid, exemption from court fees and other free legal services, in December 2017.

6.The Committee further welcomes the State Party’s initiatives to amend its policies, programmes and administrative measures to give effect to the Convention, including:

(a)The establishment of the Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure, on 19 December 2019;

(b)The adoption of the Intersectoral Strategy against Corruption, 2024–2030;

(c)The adoption of the National Strategy for Gender Equality, 2021–2030;

(d)The adoption of the National Action Plan for LGBTI+ Persons, 2021–2027;

(e)The adoption of the National Strategy against Violent Extremism, 2021–2026;

(f)The adoption of the National Action Plan against Trafficking in Persons, 2024–2025, and the National Anti-Trafficking Strategy, 2024–2030;

(g)The Cross-Sector Justice for Children Strategy 2022–2026 and its Action Plan, approved in 2022;

(h)The Cross-Sector Strategy for the Protection of Crime Victims 2024–2030 and its Action Plan, adopted in 2023.

C.Principal subjects of concern and recommendations

Pending follow-up issues from the previous reporting cycle

7.In its previous concluding observations, the Committee requested the State Party to provide information on the measures taken in follow-up to the recommendations on the following issues: (a) fundamental legal safeguards for persons deprived of liberty; (b) prompt, independent and impartial investigations; (c) adequate compensation; and (d) data collection. The Committee regrets that it has not received information from the State Party on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations, despite a reminder sent by the Committee’s Rapporteur for follow-up to concluding observations on 3 June 2013. Noting the information provided in the State Party’s third periodic report and during the dialogue, the Committee considers that these recommendations have been partially implemented. The issues that have not been addressed by the State Party are reflected in paragraphs 29 and 37 of the present document.

Criminalization of torture and statute of limitations

8.While noting that the definition of torture in article 86 of the Criminal Code is in line with the Convention, the Committee regrets that some provisions of the Criminal Code are not fully compliant with the Convention, such as penalties that are not commensurate with the gravity of the crime of torture and a statute of limitations of between 10 and 20 years for the crime of torture, unless it is committed as a crime against humanity (arts. 1 and 4).

9. The Committee recommends that the State Party revise its Criminal Code to make it fully compliant with the Convention, in particular to introduce penalties that take into account the grave nature of the crime of torture, and ensure that the crime of torture is not subject to any statute of limitations under any circumstances.

Fundamental legal safeguards

10.The Committee expresses its concern at reports that fundamental legal safeguards against torture and ill-treatment are not applied systematically and effectively as detainees, in particular women and girls, are not always fully informed of their rights from the outset of their deprivation of liberty, not provided with timely access to a lawyer and a medical doctor and not given the opportunity to notify a family member or person of their choice of an arrest and current place of detention. The Committee is concerned that transferring detainees to multiple police stations may increase the risk of abuse, including due to failure to document certain transfers (art. 2).

11. The Committee reiterates its previous recommendations and recommends that the State Party:

(a) Ensure that all persons deprived of their liberty are afforded, in law and in practice, from the very outset of their deprivation of liberty, all fundamental legal safeguards, including the right to be assisted by a lawyer without delay, the right to request and receive an examination, free of charge, by an independent doctor or a doctor of their choice, which is conducted out of the hearing and sight of police officers, unless the doctor concerned explicitly requests otherwise, the right to be informed of the reasons for the arrest and the nature of any charges against them, in a language that they understand, the right to be registered at the place of detention, the right to promptly notify a close relative or a third party of their arrest and the right to be brought before a judge without delay;

(b) Regularly train police officers on the legal obligation to grant access to a lawyer and a medical doctor from the very outset of a person ’ s deprivation of liberty and to notif y a detained person ’ s family member or person of choice of the arrest and current place of detention;

(c) Ensure that transfers between police stations are limited to situations in which it is strictly necessary and ensure that such transfers are thoroughly documented.

Conditions of detention

12.While acknowledging the efforts made by the State Party to improve the conditions of detention, the Committee remains concerned about reports of poor material conditions, particularly the lack of basic necessities such as food, drinking water, hygiene products and healthcare, including mental health services, which are compounded by overcrowding. While noting the establishment of a working group in the State Party, the Committee is concerned about the lack of medical professionals in the penitentiary system, including the lack of specialized psychiatric staff in prisons and of adequate therapeutic care. The Committee is also concerned that the overuse of pretrial detention contributes to the structural problem of overcrowding (arts. 11 and 16).

13. The Committee urges the State Party to continue its efforts to improve the material conditions of detention in all penitentiary and pretrial detention facilities, in line with the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules), and to reduce overcrowding at such facilities, including through the strengthening of the application of non ‑custodial measures. In this regard, the Committee draws the State Party ’ s attention to the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (the Tokyo Rules) and the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules). The State Party should also take measures to provide adequate healthcare, including psychiatric and therapeutic care, in all penitentiary facilities.

Psychiatric institutions

14.While noting the increase in the number of medical staff in Lezha prison during 2025, the Committee remains gravely concerned about the unsatisfactory conditions of detention for the detainees on whom either a court-ordered compulsory treatment measure under section 46 of the Criminal Code or a temporary placement in a psychiatric institution is imposed, in either Tirana Prison Hospital or Lezha prison. The Committee recalls, inter alia, the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in which the Court concluded that the poor material conditions in Tirana Prison Hospital, combined with inadequate medical treatment, amounted to inhuman and degrading treatment(arts. 2, 11 and 16).

15. The Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) Continue its efforts and allocate sufficient resources to improve material conditions in all psychiatric institutions, particularly in Lezha prison and Tirana P rison Hospital, including through investment in staff training and recruitment and medical services, non-custodial measures and community-based services ;

(b) Accelerate the setting - up of a permanent specialized forensic psychiatric facility that provides a therapeutic environment and a multidisciplinary treatment programme.

National preventive mechanism

16.The Committee is concerned that the national preventive mechanism’s legislative mandate contains the power to receive and consider complaints from prisoners, which is incompatible with its purely preventive mandate under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. While welcoming the information about the increase in budget and staffing of the People’s Advocate, the Committee remains concerned about insufficient human and financial resources available to the mechanism, considering the number of places of deprivation of liberty and the size of the prison population in the country. It is concerned about a lack of visibility and knowledge of the mandate of the mechanism (arts. 2 and 16).

17. The Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) R eview the legislation establishing the mandate of the national preventive mechanism to ensure that complaints are not included in its mandate;

(b) Provide the mechanism with sufficient human, financial, technical and logistical resources to enable it to carry out its functions effectively and independently, in accordance with article 18 (3) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention ;

(c) Take measures to enhance the visibility and knowledge of the mandate of the mechanism among public authorities, persons deprived of liberty and civil society.

Gender-based violence

18.While welcoming the National Strategy for Gender Equality (2021–2030),other legal, political and institutional improvements in the protection of women and girls against domestic violence and the information provided by the State Party regarding the number of court cases on gender-based violence, the Committee remains concerned about reports that victims face numerous obstacles in filing complaints, fear of revictimization, a precarious economic situation and lack of effective access to legal aid. The Committee is concerned that the definition of rape in article 102 of the Criminal Code is based on the use of violence rather than the absence of consent (arts. 2 and 16).

19. The Committee should:

(a) Ensure that all acts of gender-based violence and domestic violence, including those involving actions and omissions by State authorities or other entities that engage the international responsibility of the State Party under the Convention, are thoroughly and promptly investigated, including through the initiation of ex officio investigations, that the alleged perpetrators are prosecuted and, if convicted, punished appropriately, and that the survivors or their families receive redress, including adequate compensation and rehabilitation;

(b) Accelerate the adoption of legislative and policy measures to prevent and combat violence against women and, in particular, consider amending the Criminal Code to ensure that the definition of rape is based on lack of consent, covers all non ‑ consensual sexual acts and takes into account all coercive circumstances;

(c) Take the measures necessary to encourage and facilitate the lodging of complaints by victims and to effectively address the barriers that may prevent women from reporting acts of violence against them;

(d) Ensure that victims receive appropriate legal, medical, financial and psychological support and have access to effective remedies and means of protection, including effective access to reception centres and shelters throughout the country, and raise awareness about the existence of such centres and shelters ;

(e) Increase targeted and compulsory training for public officials, including judges, lawyers, prosecutors, law enforcement officials and healthcare and social service providers, on recognizing and handling cases of violence against women;

(f) Strengthen public awareness-raising campaigns to address social and cultural patterns and stereotypes that facilitate and condone the tolerance of gender ‑ based violence.

Trafficking in persons

20.While taking into account the information provided by the State Party regarding the National Anti-trafficking Strategy 2024–2030 and the amendments to the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code, the Committee is concerned about the absence of a specific law for the protection of victims of trafficking, the low number of prosecutions and convictions for trafficking in persons, the lack of resources allocated to law enforcement entities to identify potential victims of trafficking, the lack of access to compensation for victims of trafficking and the lack of a gender-responsive approach to access justice for victims (arts. 2 and 16).

21. The Committee urges the State Party:

(a) To c ontinue to take effective measures to increase protection for victims of trafficking in persons, including by a dopting specific legislation to ensure the effective protection of victims of trafficking ;

(b) To p revent and promptly, thoroughly and impartially investigate, prosecute and punish trafficking in persons and related practices;

(c) To p rovide means of redress to victims of trafficking, including assistance to victims in reporting incidents of trafficking to the police, in particular by providing legal, medical and psychological aid and rehabilitation, including sufficient shelters, in accordance with article 14 of the Convention;

(d) To c ontinue to provide regular training to the police, prosecutors and judges on effective prevention, investigation, prosecution and punishment of acts of trafficking;

(e) To c ompile disaggregated data about the victims, prosecutions and types of sentences handed down for acts of trafficking, the provision of redress to the victims and measures to prevent acts of trafficking, as well as the difficulties experienced in preventing such acts.

Excessive use of force

22.The Committee notes with concern reports of the excessive use of force and physical violence by police, such as kicks and beatings with police batons, causing serious injuries, leading to hospitalization. The Committee is concerned about reports of intimidation against protesters that reportedly led to arbitrary arrests and detention (arts. 2, 12–14 and 16).

23. The State Party should:

(a) Carry out prompt, impartial, thorough and effective investigations into all allegations of excessive use of force, including ill-treatment, by law enforcement officers, and ensure that those suspected of having committed such acts are immediately suspended from their duties throughout the period of investigation, while ensuring that the principle of presumption of innocence is observed;

(b) Prosecute all persons suspected of having committed torture or ill ‑ treatment and, if they are found guilty, ensure that they receive sentences that are commensurate with the gravity of their acts and ensure that the victims are afforded appropriate redress and compensation in a timely manner;

(c) Reinforce its oversight mechanisms to prevent and address cases of excessive use of force by law enforcement officers;

(d) Provide all law enforcement officers, especially those deployed in crowd control and demonstrations, with systematic training on the use of force based on the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials and the United Nations Human Rights Guidance on Less-Lethal Weapons in Law Enforcement. The State Party should also consider incorporating the Model Protocol for Law Enforcement Officials to Promote and Protect Human Rights in the Context of Peaceful Protests into its training curricula.

Protection of journalists and human rights defenders

24.The Committee is concerned about reports of instances of intimidation, harassment, threats and violence by politicians, judges, police officers and other government officials, as well asby organized criminal groups, against journalists and human rights defenders (art.16).

25. The State Party should ensure that all journalists and human rights defenders are able to carry out their legitimate work in an enabling environment, free from intimidation or other forms of harassment. The State Party should vigorously, promptly, thoroughly and impartially investigate all allegations of intimidation or other forms of harassment of journalists and human rights defenders, prosecute alleged perpetrators, appropriately punish those found guilty and provide victims with redress.

Access to complaint mechanisms

26.While noting information about inspections by the Ombudsman, the Parliamentary Committee and other bodies that address complaints from detainees, as well as a phone line that is available to them, the Committee regrets the lack of information regarding the establishment of an independent and effective mechanism for addressing complaints of torture and ill-treatment, including the use of excessive force inflicted by law enforcement officers. The Committee is concerned about reports that alleged victims of police misconduct, especially women and girls, are unaware of the complaint process beyond reporting their complaints to the police. In some cases, the police have reportedly refused to register or accept allegations of misconduct by their own officers (arts. 12, 13 and 16).

27. The Committee recommends that the State Party accelerate its efforts to ensure that:

(a) An independent and effective c omplaint mechanism is available in all places of detention, including by ensuring confidential and unhindered access to such mechanism in complete confidentiality;

(b) I nformation about the possibility and procedure for filing a complaint against the police is made available and widely publicized, including by being prominently displayed in all police stations of the State Party;

(c) All complaints about misconduct by police, prison personnel and law enforcement officials are duly assessed and investigated.

Prompt, independent and thorough investigations

28.The Committee remains concerned about the limited data available on investigation into torture and ill-treatment and the unlawful use of force by the police and reiterates its concern about the absence of independent and effective investigations into the allegations of torture and ill-treatment by law enforcement officials and lack of accountability of the perpetrators (arts. 12, 13 and 16).

29. The Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) Take all appropriate measures to ensure that all allegations of torture and ill-treatment by the police are investigated promptly and thoroughly by independent bodies and that those suspected of having committed such acts are immediately suspended from their duties throughout the period of investigation, while ensuring the principle of presumption of innocence is observed, prosecute those responsible and provide victims with adequate redress;

(b) C ompile accurate and disaggregated data on investigation s into torture and ill-treatment and unlawful use of force by the police.

Juvenile justice

30.While acknowledging the progress in the legal and policy framework that prohibits torture against and ill-treatment of children, including the Act on Child Rights and Protection, the Criminal Justice for Children Code, the Cross-Sectoral Justice for Children Strategy and the Child Rights Agenda, the Committee is concerned about reports that, for children in conflict with the law, detention continues to be used and has a negative impact on their prospects for rehabilitation and reintegration into the community (arts. 2 and 11).

31. The Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) Redouble its efforts to ensure that the detention of children in conflict with the law is a measure of last resort and that conditions of such detention comply fully with the relevant international human rights standards, including the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing Rules);

(b) Ensure that children in conflict with the law have access to the necessary legal, medical and psychological support and guarantee access to quality basic education and long-term rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for all children deprived of liberty.

Past human rights violations and impunity

32.The Committee notes the estimate of more than 5,500 individuals executed and 6,000 people missingunder the former communist regime of the State Party between 1944 and 1991 and the steps taken by the State Party toaddress these violations.Taking note of the observations of theCommittee on Enforced Disappearances and the Working Group on Enforced orInvoluntary Disappearances,the Committee regrets that the State Party has carried out only two investigations with a view to identifying and prosecuting those responsible and providing reparation to victims and their families (arts. 2 and 14).

33. The Committee encourages the State Party to strengthen its efforts to effectively shed light on the enforced disappearances that took place during the communist regime, regarding the fate and the whereabouts of the disappeared persons, and to consider investigating such crimes, prosecuting those responsible and providing reparation to the victims and their families.

Training of law enforcement personnel

34.While noting information on the training of police, prison staff and immigration officers, the Committee regrets the lack of detailed information on the programmes regarding the prohibition of torture and other relevant topics of concern under the Convention aimed at all law enforcement personnel, civil or military, medical personnel, judges, prosecutors and other public officials and persons who may be involved with persons deprived of their liberty. While also noting information about the training of some prison and health staff, it is concerned about the lack of information on specific training provided to all professionals directly involved in the investigation and documentation of both physical and psychological evidence of torture, as well as medical and other personnel involved with detainees and asylum-seekers, on the Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Istanbul Protocol), as revised, as well as on the impact of such training (art. 10).

35. The Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) Provide mandatory training on the provisions of the Convention for all law enforcement personnel, civil or military, medical personnel, judges, prosecutors and other public officials and persons who may be involved with persons deprived of their liberty, and develop methodologies to assess the impact of such training;

(b) Consider incorporating the Principles on Effective Interviewing for Investigations and Information-Gathering, also known as the Méndez Principles, into future initiatives to review and revise interrogation techniques;

(c) Ensure that all relevant staff, including judges, prosecutors and medical personnel, are specifically trained to identify and document cases of torture and ill ‑ treatment, in accordance with the Istanbul Protocol, as revised.

Redress

36.While welcomingthe amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code introduced under Act No. 35/2017 to improve the rights and status of victims of crime, and the creation of the special fund to prevent organized crime and to promote the rehabilitation and integration of victims of trafficking, the Committee regrets the lack of comprehensive information about the extent to which compensation has been afforded to victims of torture or ill-treatment, including victims of the use of excessive force by law enforcement officers, victims of violent crime, sexual and gender-based violence and trafficking in persons, in the past five years (art. 14).

37. The Committee recommends that the State Party continue taking legal and other related measures to ensure that victims of torture and ill-treatment, including victims of the use of excessive force by law enforcement officers, victims of violent crime, sexual and gender-based violence and trafficking in persons, obtain redress and have an enforceable right to fair and adequate compensation, including the means for as full a rehabilitation as possible, and to collect data and share information in the next periodic report on instances and types of compensation and rehabilitation granted in the five years prior to reporting.

Asylum-seekers and unaccompanied minors

38.The Committee is deeply concerned about the reports concerning the use of violence and arbitrary pushbacks by Albanian border guards, denying asylum-seekers an opportunity to apply for international protection contrary to the Act on Asylum (No. 10/2021), as well as international refugee law and international human rights law. It is also concerned about information received concerning the placement of unaccompanied minors alongside unrelated adults in reception centres, which is exacerbated by the fact that the legislation of the State Party, including the Act on Aliens (No. 79/2021), does not sufficiently protect vulnerable groups, such as unaccompanied minors, from detention. The Committee is further concerned about reports, including by the Ombudsman, about the risk of prolonged detention of asylum-seekers, despite the relevant law providing for a maximum period of detention of one year (arts. 2, 3, 11, 13 and 16).

39. The State Party should uphold the principle of non-refoulement by ensuring that, in practice, no one may be expelled, returned or extradited to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he or she would be in danger of being subjected to torture. To this end, it urges the State Party to:

(a) Cease immediately the practice of pushbacks and use of violence by the border guards and ensure that all persons seeking protection in the State Party have access to a fair and impartial review by an independent decision-making mechanism on asylum, expulsion, return or extradition and guarantee the right to appeal such decisions , with suspensive effect ;

(b) Refrain from detaining unaccompanied minors and other vulnerable categories of people, facilitating this through the revision of relevant legislation and the establishment of robust, effective and fully functional identification mechanisms endowed with sufficient human and financial resources, including staff specialized in relevant areas;

(c) Ensure strict compliance with the time limit of detention of asylum ‑ seekers and guarantee that any detention is based on an individuali z ed assessment of necessity and proportionality, used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest possible period ;

(d) Provide adequate training to law enforcement agents, judges and all others who participate in the asylum process on the identification of and assistance to vulnerable categories of persons, and on international refugee law and international human rights law, with specific reference to the principle of non-refoulement.

Immigration detention centres

40.The Committee is concerned about the poor conditions in the Karreç immigration detention centre, relating to staffing, infrastructure, food and hygiene standards. The Committee expresses its concern about the 2023 protocol between the Governments of Albania and Italy on migrant detention facilities in Albania, managed by Italian authorities according to Italian law, which raises doubts about the compliance of the State Party with the Convention, including the prohibition of refoulement. Despite information provided by the State Party, the Committee remains concerned that the lack of clarity on the jurisdiction governing these centres and on the possibility for full and unhindered visits by the national preventive mechanism of Albania to them undermines the protection provided for by the Convention (arts. 11 and 16).

41. The State Party should:

(a) Ensure that detention for the purposes of deportation is applied only as a last resort, when determined to be strictly necessary and proportionate in the light of an individual ’ s circumstances , and for the shortest possible period, and that such detention is subject to regular and effective judicial review. Children and families with children should not be detained solely for their immigration status;

(b) Strengthen efforts to ensure that the conditions and treatment of migrants detained in any cent r e on the territory of the State Party fully comply with the Convention, including with regard to material conditions, standard of treatment, prohibition of refoulement and right to a fair asylum procedure;

(c) Work to ensure that the implementation of the 2023 p rotocol between the Governments of Albania and Italy on migrant detention facilities fully complies with the Convention, noting that the State P arty ’ s obligations continue to apply regardless of the centres ’ management or jurisdiction, due to the fact that these facilities are located on its sovereign territory (art s . 2, 3, 11 and 16) ;

(d) Ensure that the n ational p reventive m echanism has full and unhindered access to all reception cent r es established on the territory of the State Party , in compliance with article 4 (1) and (2) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention .

Follow-up procedure

42. The Committee requests the State Party to provide, by 28 November 2026, information on follow-up to the Committee ’ s recommendations on excessive use of force, prompt, independent and thorough investigations and immigration detention centres (see paras. 23 (a), 29 (a) and 41 (c) above). In that context, the State Party is invited to inform the Committee about its plans for implementing, within the coming reporting period, the remaining recommendations in the present concluding observations.

Other issues

43. The Committee recommends that the State Party consider making the declarations under articles 21 and 22 of the Convention recognizing the competence of the Committee to receive and consider inter-State and communications from or on behalf of individuals subject to its jurisdiction who claim to be victims of a violation by the State Party of the provisions of the Convention , as indicated by the delegation.

44. The State Party is requested to widely disseminate the report submitted to the Committee and the present concluding observations, in appropriate languages, through official websites, the media and non-governmental organizations and to inform the Committee about its dissemination activities .

45. The State Party is invited to submit its next report, which will be its fourth, by 28 November 2029. For that purpose, the Committee invites the State Party to accept, by 28 November 2026 , the simplified reporting procedure consisting in the transmittal, by the Committee to the State Party, of a list of issues prior to the submission of the report. The State Party ’ s replies to that list of issues would constitute its fourth periodic report under article 19 of the Convention .