A/HRC/27/13 9. The Constitution provided for the independence of the judiciary and defined in detail its attributes and functioning. In addition to the relevant legislative provisions, a number of training initiatives on human rights had been carried out. 10. The Government’s decision not to tolerate torture and arbitrary detention had been applied at the national level, and robust measures had been adopted. In that context, the Ministry of National Security had developed a Police Reference Handbook on Human Rights, ,the first page of which quoted President Mbasogo, sayingwho that: “My biggest concern is, and will be, the welfare of my people; their right to safety and freedom is not negotiable. The Security and Order Forces must guarantee these rights and ensure the safety of all citizens.” That statement reflected the Government’s commitment to the prevention of torture, arbitrary detention and other degrading treatment. 11. Equatorial Guinea was taking steps to bring the National Human Rights Commission into line with the Paris Principles. At the same time, it was making considerable efforts to cooperate with United Nations agencies on a continuous basis, including through reporting to and engaging in constructive dialogue with the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the UPR, as well as participating without reservation in the activities of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. 12. A commission had been established to study the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women prior to their submission to the Council of Ministers for approval and, subsequently, to Parliament. 13. Equatorial Guinea had never been involved in the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons, particularly children. The ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography had already been approved by the Government and was being considered byhad been Parliament in 2014. 14. The International Committee of the Red Cross and representatives of various religious groups had free access to detention centres at the national level. In addition, the Attorney General and the National Human Rights Commission conducted periodic inspections of detention centres. Cases involving arbitrary detention, kidnapping, torture or similar acts had been tried by military courts; persons found to have perpetrated such acts had received prison sentences or, in other cases, had been dismissed from their postsed. 15. In April 2014, the Government had decided to send the United Nations Convention against Corruption to the national Committee on Political Affairs in order to obtain its opinion. The Commission of Jurists had already decided to suggest that that instrument should be signed, but had reservations regarding the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The Government would rule on the matter once it had received the report of the Committee on Political Affairs. 16. The Office of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor was establishing rules designed to eradicate corruption effectively. It was under an obligation to declare the financial situation of people who were under surveillance, in view of possible conflict of interests and the use of privileged information. The delegation provided detailed information on action taken in that connection. 17. In 2014, the Government had approved the accession of Equatorial Guinea to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of 4