A/HRC/12/50 285. The Congo indicated that, under the article 136 of the Constitution and article 14 of the organic law concerning the Higher Council of the Magistracy, the judiciary was independent and that judges were only subjected to the law in exercising their functions. It confirmed that the authorities were concerned by the conditions of detention. Indeed, detention facilities were regularly inspected both by the Attorney General of the Republic and by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as well as by nongovernmental organizations and the general directorate for human rights and fundamental freedoms. 286. The Congo noted that the establishment of a ministry in charge of the promotion and integration of women in development strategies responded to their claims. The delegation also informed the Council that, concerning violence against women, the Minister for Justice and the Minister for the Promotion of Women were working on a draft law to strengthen the provisions of article 309 and related articles of the penal code. The draft would be considered before the end of the current legislative term. 287. Concerning the recommendation related to the elaboration of a law on protection of and assistance to displaced persons, the Congo reaffirmed its firm commitment to set up a national legal framework in that regard, also taking into account the draft African convention on the situation of internally displaced persons, which provided for an effective normative framework for the protection of displaced persons and the assistance that they should benefit from. The Government would speed up the process of adoption of the draft law related to the promotion and protection of indigenous peoples currently being processed by national institutions. It also provided information on the work of the commission in charge of reviewing and drafting Congolese legal codes to remedy gaps and the lack of appropriate legislation in relation to certain human rights issues, which had started its work on 10 August 2009. Concerning the Congo’s reporting obligations to treaty bodies, the inter-ministerial committee established to that effect had convened twice in the past three months and the Congo would present its initial report to the Committee against Torture during its next October session. As it was aware of the necessity to incorporate human rights education in school curricula, the Congo requested the support of OHCHR and other partners to assist the country in finalizing the programmes and text books currently being developed at the Institut national de recherche et d’actions pédagogiques. 288. The Congo expressed the will that the conclusions of the Working Group be reflected comprehensively and faithfully in the report submitted for adoption by the Council. According to the Congo, the question raised by recommendation 25 in the report had already been taken covered by recommendations 23 and 24. Therefore, the Permanent Mission of the Congo in Geneva had, in a note dated 22 May 2009, contacted the secretariat of the Council asking for that recommendation to be withdrawn. As it was a prerogative of the plenary, the Minister asked that this fact be reflected in the report. The Minister indicated that the Congo would continue to rely on the valuable support of OHCHR and other international institutions, as well as on the wide-ranging support of its partners, so that it could live up to its commitment in the area of the promotion and protection of human rights. 2. Views expressed by Member and observer States of the Council on the review outcome 289. Algeria commended the Congo for having accepted more than 90 per cent of the recommendations, which showed its cooperative and constructive attitude towards the universal periodic review. It welcomed its acceptance of the recommendation made by Algeria on the establishment of a national institution for the promotion and protection of human rights, and stressed the important need that OHCHR provide technical assistance in this respect. Algeria also welcomed the special attention given to the protection and 105

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