A/HRC/30/34 logos and vehicle colours similar to those used by the police or armed forces cannot be used. Using and carrying weapons without proper authorization are also prohibited. 60. A common prohibition concerns activities reserved for the police and armed forces. Costa Rican law prohibits the act of “appearing to or replacing the role played by the administration or judiciary, or interfering in their work”, as well as the provision of services in prisons.33 El Salvador prohibits investigations that are the exclusive competence of the Public Prosecutor’s Office or the national police.34 Guatemalan law is the most detailed and provides that private security cannot assume functions that are the tasks of the Government.35 Mexican law prohibits private security personnel from doing work entrusted to the public prosecutor and the police, such as obtaining background information on persons.36 Honduras prohibits the use of installations or equipment of the national police for training persons or companies providing private security. 61. Several countries include prohibitions that could be related to activities of a military nature or to militias or mercenaries. In Costa Rica and El Salvador, the law prohibits the existence or functioning of any type of armed private group that is unauthorized and does not comply with legal requirements.37 Honduras prohibits Hondurans or foreigners from training or conducting drills for the purpose of providing private security services abroad.38 Costa Rican law prohibits detaining, interrogating, requisitioning or sequestering, violating a person’s honour and physical integrity, intercepting correspondence and interfering with communications. Mexican law, which contains a prohibition linked to compliance with international human rights standards, provides that security services must avoid, at all times, committing, tolerating or permitting acts of torture and mistreatment, as well as cruel, inhuman or degrading acts, even when in execution of an order of a superior or in supposedly special circumstances, such as threats to public security. 39 Similarly, Costa Rican regulations state that in no circumstances may simple obedience be invoked as justification or impunity for torture or other treatment or cruel, degrading or inhuman punishment.40 62. Costa Rica and Honduras have specific regulations that limit the number of staff employed by private security companies. Costa Rica prohibits such companies from maintaining a number of security guards that equals more than 10 per cent of the membership of the police force, by type of service.41 Honduran law states that the number of guards they employ cannot be more than 6 per cent of the national police force. Considering the growth of private security activities in the region and the high number of security personnel compared to the police, this law is considered to be a good practice. Rules on the acquisition of weapons 63. There are no special provisions on the origin and acquisition of weapons in most of the countries reviewed. In seven of the countries, the acquisition by private security companies of weapons in illegal national or international markets is not regulated, while 33 Act No. 8395/2003, art. 45 (h) (I). Act No. 227/2000, art. 49 (k). 35 Act No. 51/2010, art. 59. 36 Mexican federal law of 18 October 2011, art. 5 (III). 37 Act No. 8395/03, art. 6, and Act No. 227, art. 60, respectively. 38 Act No. 67/2008, art. 140. 39 Mexican federal law, art. 32 (X). 40 Regulation No. 33128, art. 29 (3). 41 Act No. 8395/2003, art. 19. 34 12