A/HRC/16/2 upcoming report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child. It welcomed Lebanon’s acceptance of recommendations relating to trafficking, child labour and the clearing of landmines. A common concern raised by the Children’s Council related to the difficulties faced by stateless children and those without identity papers, especially regarding their access to education, health care and future employment. It urged Lebanon to reconsider recommendations on the right to acquire a nationality. 574. Rencontre africaine pour la défense des droits de l’homme welcomed the establishment of a national human rights institution and an ombudsman, expressed support for the training of security forces and commended Lebanon’s accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture. It regretted, however, that, despite the imposition of a moratorium, the death penalty remained in force. Rencontre africaine remained concerned at the lack of freedom of movement of refugees, and regretted the fact that migrant workers were not protected by the Labour Code. It invited Lebanon to decriminalize homosexuality and to eliminate discrimination of women in law and practice. 575. Amnesty International welcomed Lebanon’s support for recommendations to amend its national legislation to include a definition of torture conforming to the Convention against Torture. It was disappointed at Lebanon’s rejection of recommendations aimed at amending legislation discriminating against Palestinian refugees, and urged the Lebanese authorities to keep these recommendations under review. It welcomed Lebanon’s willingness to examine a recommendation to establish an independent body to investigate the whereabouts of missing persons and to consider ratifying the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. It regretted that Lebanon had rejected recommendations to abolish the death penalty and to end the prerogative of military courts to try civilians. 576. Pax Christi International, International Catholic Peace Movement welcomed the fact that Lebanon had accepted a significant number of recommendations relating to torture. In this regard, article 401 of the Penal Code was ambiguous and did not criminalize torture. It added that the establishment of a national prevention mechanism conforming to obligations under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture should not be delayed by the creation of bodies with a monitoring mandate within the ministries of justice and the interior. It believed that a clear division of responsibilities within the Government could prevent further delays in reporting to the treaty bodies. It regretted the fact that Lebanon had rejected recommendations relating to capital punishment and was concerned about death penalties imposed by the Military Tribunal, which did not adhere to international fairtrial standards. The Government was in breach of international human rights law for allowing the military courts to continue to adopt non-military tasks and to try civilians. 577. The African Association of Education for Development focused its comments on the rights of domestic workers, stating that women from East Africa suffered from diverse forms of abuse in Lebanon and were without protection. Physical violence was a frequent occurrence, freedom of movement was not assured, working hours did not provide for periods of rest and passports were withheld. Taken together, this situation could be described as a contemporary form of slavery. There had also been cases of sexual abuse and many foreign women workers were victims of human trafficking. It appreciated the work of journalists, trade unionists and non-governmental organizations with affected women. 4. Concluding remarks of the State under review 578. The delegation of Lebanon valued all remarks made; Lebanon attached great importance to the contributions of civil society organizations, with which it intended to have an ongoing dialogue. GE.11-17059 187

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