DUSHANBE, March 7, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Mr. Juan Mendez, UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, intends to pay a visit to Tajikistan in late spring, the UN Radio reports.

On March 5, Mr. Mendez released a report at the nineteenth session of the UN Human Rights Council.

The report aimed at generating further discussion of the standards that apply to the establishment and conduct of commissions of inquiry, and the relationship between such commissions and the fulfillment by States of their international legal obligations with regard to torture and other forms of ill-treatment.

Among other things, he noted the importance of country visits and announced that he had accepted an invitation to visit Tajikistan, a mission he hopes to undertake during the second half of 2012.

We will recall that Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament on February 29 endorsed a bill requiring amendments to the country’s Penal Code.  The amendments are mainly connected with recommendations of the United Nations to bring the country’s legislation into compliance with the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.  The new law reportedly introduced into the Penal Code the definition of “torture.” Article 143’ (Torture) was introduced into the Penal Code.  This article provides for five years in prison for use of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.