A/HRC/39/63 86. For the medium and longer terms, the Commission also recommends that the Government of Burundi: (a) Amend the Organization Act of 8 March 2018 amending Act No. 01/03 of 24 January 2013 on the mandate, composition, organization and functioning of the National Communication Council with a view to ensuring the latter’s independence; (b) Ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance; (c) Amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to align its provisions with international standards, in particular the provisions on time limits for police custody and on oversight of detention, night-time and warrantless searches, the flagrante delicto procedure and the offence of “undermining the internal security of the State”, and provisions that grant de jure impunity to judges and to officers of the criminal investigation police (police judiciaire); (d) Put an end to arbitrary detention and improve conditions of detention by: (i) Implementing the Guidelines on the Conditions of Arrest, Police Custody and Pre-Trial Detention in Africa adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights; (ii) Ensuring that detention is subject to oversight measures for assessing its legality and compatibility with human rights; (e) In the absence of an independent and efficient judicial system, cooperate fully with the International Criminal Court in the investigation opened on 25 October 2017; (f) Undertake an in-depth reform of the judicial system to ensure its independence, impartiality and effectiveness, including by: (i) Implementing the Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Fair Trial and Legal Assistance in Africa adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights; (ii) Publishing the conclusions of the national forum on the justice system held in 2013 and convening a meeting of justice-sector stakeholders and international partners to discuss follow-up action; (iii) Increasing the budget for the justice sector and ensuring that it is managed autonomously; (iv) Raising the pay levels of judges in the ordinary courts and increasing the resources and facilities available to them; (v) Computerizing court registries; (vi) Reviewing the composition of the Judicial Service Commission to ensure that the majority of its members are appointed by their peers; (vii) Reviewing procedures for the appointment, assignment, evaluation and promotion of judges to ensure that such procedures are not dependent on the executive branch; (viii) Ensuring strict observance of the principle that judges should have security of tenure; (ix) Protecting and safeguarding the independence of the judiciary by prohibiting any interference in the administration of justice by government authorities, members of the ruling party or members of the defence and security forces, and imposing penalties on anyone who influences or seeks to influence the administration of justice; (x) Developing legal aid programmes for persons belonging to the most vulnerable groups; 18 GE.18-13070

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