A/HRC/10/32 page 9 carried out by the army have been reported. OHCHR Colombia has also received reports of actions by the National Police, particularly the detention of individuals belonging to vulnerable sectors of society, especially from poor neighbourhoods in Medellin, without appropriate legal justification C. Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment 18. OHCHR Colombia was informed of cases of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment attributed to members of the security forces in Antioquia, Cauca and Chocó. Indigenous and Afro-Colombian peoples and communities, as well as the poorest sectors of society, were frequently victims in such cases. 19. In Chocó, Cauca and other departments, OHCHR Colombia received reports of cruel and degrading treatment of women and girls by members of the army; on some occasions this resulted in sexual violence. 20. In early 2008 OHCHR Colombia noted cases of serious inhuman and degrading treatment of inmates at the prison of Valledupar (Cesar), as well as excessive use of force by prison guards to put down protests. 21. The Government has done much to train public officials and military officers on international standards on the prevention of torture. However, as acknowledged by the Government, challenges remain.11 It would be a significant step towards meeting these challenges if the Government were to accede to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT). D. Enforced disappearance 22. OHCHR Colombia continued to monitor cases of enforced disappearance, particularly in certain municipalities such as Buenaventura (Valle del Cauca), where, according to the Ombudsman’s Office, 132 cases were reported between 2006 and 2008. In other places, particularly towns in Antioquia and Chocó, this practice has apparently been used to intimidate opponents in the disputes between gangs and illegal armed groups that have emerged since the demobilization of paramilitaries. 23. Victims of disappearances are usually young unemployed men from poor families living in poor neighbourhoods or isolated rural areas. Human rights defenders and trade unionists are also among the victims of disappearances. 24. The Attorney-General’s Office has investigated 111 cases of enforced disappearance in 2008. Most of them were referred to its Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law 11 Government submission to the Human Rights Council’s universal periodic review, 1 September 2008.