A/HRC/40/77 equal justice, to receive reparations and to find out the truth concerning those violations. Because of ambiguities in the bill regarding its temporary applicability, the definitions of offences for which there can be no amnesty and the extremely short period allowed for investigations (from 8 to 15 days), there is a risk that persons responsible for serious violations and abuses might be included in an amnesty. At the time of writing, the bill had not yet been presented to the National Assembly. 20. Unfortunately, as mentioned in previous reports, no significant improvements have been made in the criminal justice system. Most perpetrators of abuses and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law go unpunished. There are several reasons why impunity continues to prevail in Mali. However, the Independent Expert wishes to reiterate that the Government has made a commitment to end impunity by signing the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali. The Independent Expert would like to see a strategy put in place, along with a budget sufficient to tackle the problem. He is concerned by the limited extent to which resources have been mobilized and the fact that the judges’ strike, which had already lasted for two months at the time of his visit, paralysed the justice system. After three months of strike action, the judges resumed their work in November. Nonetheless, other factors continue to undermine victims’ trust in the justice system. 21. The Independent Expert welcomes the adoption in 2014 of a law on the prevention and punishment of illicit enrichment but is concerned by allegations concerning ongoing corruption in Mali. This situation damages the credibility of the Government in the eyes of the population. The perception that persons involved in corrupt activities enjoy a degree of impunity is a matter of concern. The authorities should provide information on the impact of the measures taken to combat corruption and assure people that concrete measures will be taken to tackle the root causes of corruption effectively. 22. In a previous report, the Independent Expert welcomed the fact that the National Human Rights Commission complies with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (Paris Principles). 1 This Commission has a strong mandate for the protection and promotion of human rights which includes the authority to consider individual complaints; it is also the national mechanism for the prevention of torture. The Independent Expert observes that the Commission now has an adequate budget, that its representatives have made visits to detention centres and that it plans to open regional offices. 23. The Independent Expert welcomes the progress made in furthering the work of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission. The initial one-year period set aside for gathering statements began on 3 January 2017. At the time of writing, the local offices of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission had taken 9,300 statements, of which 6,982 had been entered into the database. The Commission plans to continue to take statements until the end of its mandate and is now finalizing an investigation strategy. The Commission has also begun consultations with victims with a view to developing a reparations policy in line with their needs, including the needs of vulnerable groups, women and children. 24. On 23 January 2018, the Secretary-General of the United Nations announced the establishment of the International Commission of Inquiry for Mali, which had been requested by Malians and is envisioned in the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali of 2015. He is pleased to note that the staff for the Commission’s secretariat has been recruited and that a team has begun its investigative work. The Chair and the members of the Commission travelled to New York and Bamako from 22 October to 2 November 2018 to attend introductory sessions and officially launch the work of the Commission. The Independent Expert is gratified to learn that the parties have promised to cooperate with the Commission and facilitate its work and notes that the Commission is now operational thanks to the combined efforts of MINUSMA and OHCHR. He welcomes the establishment of this transitional justice mechanism, which will play a critical role in the 1 6 A/HRC/34/72, para. 80. GE.19-00939