A/HRC/12/50 organized civil society, without sufficient time or information to allow adequate analysis. It welcomed recommendations 10 and 11 reiterating the importance of civil society involvement. It noted the urgency of advancing the national institute for human rights, ensuring the necessary technical and financial resources, in line with recommendations 8, 9, 12 and 13. It recognized the normative advances in the present legislature, but regretted the slow progress in approving the new penal and penal process codes incorporating protection to victims; the derogation of laws discriminatory to women; the updating of codification of crimes such as torture; and the completion of the guarantees of due process according to international standards. Conectas Direitos Humanos highlighted the absence of a national plan for education in human rights and, in this regard, welcomed recommendations 11 and 13. 534. The International Commission of Jurists, recommended that Uruguay derogate the law on the expiry of punitive claim of the State; bring legislation into line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to avoid using prison sentences as a first instance; derogate unconstitutional aspects of the law for police procedures; and derogate the law of disrespect, defamation and injury related to civil servants. It noted with satisfaction some recommendations, such as the importance of revision and, if necessary, the derogation of laws that favoured impunity for crimes committed during the dictatorship, as well as the improvement of the prison system, specifically the alternative measures to liberty deprivation for minors. It regretted the fact that no recommendations had been made regarding the law on police procedure, which gives a wide margin of discretion to police officers. It also regretted the fact that no recommendation had been made on the law concerning the disrespect, defamation and injury of civil servants, which had led to the imprisonment of several journalists. 535. In relation to recommendation 22, the Federation for Women and Family Planning commended the Uruguayan Parliament for having passed, in December 2008, the comprehensive law to defend sexual and reproductive rights, and noted that, unfortunately, this was later restricted by a presidential veto; it asked about the plans to implement this law. It urged the Government to prioritize public policies aimed at youth and the inclusion of sexual and reproductive rights in these policies. It welcomed the commitments to increase investment to guarantee rights to freedom in terms of sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as the design and implementation of a national plan to combat all forms of discrimination. With regard to recommendations 19, 29 and 33, it noted that women victims of violence complained about the lack of an adequate judicial procedure. It also noted that procedures for reporting cases of violence against children were extremely long and lacked comprehensive measures to respond and provide care to those affected. 536. In relation to human trafficking (recommendations 16, 18, 43, 45 to 51) Action Canada for Population and Development recognized the efforts made by the State after the set-up of specialized courts for crimes that required special treatment. In relation to the prison system (recommendations 7, 28, 29, 39, 40, 52 to 60, 61, 63, 67 to 70), it expressed concern about prison conditions. It made reference to the 63 per cent of detainees in prison in preventive custody for many years and made reference to the recent death of five inmates in the Comcar prison. Regarding the right to truth, justice, memory and reparation and guarantees against non-repetition (recommendations 62, 64 to 66), it was essential to annul the law of expiration of punitive State claims because it was a major obstacle to the fight against impunity. It also referred to the excavations that had been resumed to find about 200 people still missing and requested to know the truth about the events, access to all files of the repression and that the independence of the powers of the State be ensured. 143

Select target paragraph3

Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents