A/HRC/41/14 55. Denmark stated that the Convention against Torture Initiative was ready to assist Eritrea in combating torture. The protection of women was crucial for socioeconomically sustainable societies. 56. Bahrain welcomed initiatives to combat poverty and child malnutrition for children under 5 years of age and other efforts in the health sector. 57. The delegation of Eritrea stated that Eritrea was committed to building trust and cooperation, with implications for regional peace, security and development. National development was premised on encompassing macroeconomic stability, the comprehensive reorganization of government institutions and the consolidation of the political process of nation-building. 58. The national charter was the political map that drove the strategies, policies and structure of nation-building and continued to set the principles and guidance for the State governance system. In 2015, the process of drafting a new constitution had commenced and was ongoing. 59. The death penalty was an applicable sentence for serious criminal offences. It was not applicable to convicted persons who were under the age of 18 years when the offences had been committed or to women nurturing children. The President had the power to commute the death penalty to rigorous imprisonment. For many years, there had been a de facto moratorium on the death penalty. 60. The allegation that political prisoners or prisoners of conscience were detained because they had called for reform, democratic elections and greater respect for human rights was factually unfounded. Those cases related to national security. 61. The right to express and disseminate opinions must be exercised within the law and in full respect for others. It could therefore be restricted out of respect for the rights and reputation of others, and for the protection of national security, public order, public health and morals. 62. Eritrea had a rich history of religious tolerance, coexistence and harmony in a turbulent region. The Government had an obligation to ensure that the centuries old religious tolerance and harmony was not disturbed by externally induced and new trends of Islamic or Christian fundamentalism. Jehovah’s Witnesses had forfeited their legal status when they had refused to recognize the Government after liberation and opposed the referendum of April 1993 that had determined the independence of the nation after 30 years of struggle for national liberation. The public media had been strengthening to cultivate progressive thinking, transformational culture and reliable information, which were instrumental in a knowledgeable society. Radio programmes were available in all Eritrean languages and television programmes broadcast in several languages. Print media were also emerging as an important dimension of that development. 63. Estonia was concerned by the lack of independence of the judiciary, the lack of clarity of the status of the Constitution, the indefinite national service and restrictions on freedom of expression. 64. The Plurinational State of Bolivia welcomed community-based interventions on structures, which were essential for the implementation of the recommendations that Eritrea had receive during the second cycle. 65. France noted the efforts made in the areas of education and health, but was concerned by the lack of respect for civil and political rights. 66. Georgia encouraged Eritrea to take further steps in the implementation of recommendations. While noting efforts to ensure gender equality, it urged to Eritrea to align relevant legislation with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. 67. Germany welcomed the opening of the border with Ethiopia. It remained concerned about the human rights situation, in particular of people in detention. 6