A/HRC/18/2 ensure adherence to the principle of non-refoulement and that deportation is carried out only after exhaustion of legal remedies, to ensure that conditions of detention comply with international human rights standards, and to strengthen protection for the human rights of unaccompanied minor asylum seekers. It urged Greece to respond positively to the recommendation to accede to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. 526. Human Rights Watch shared the concern expressed during the universal periodic review of Greece on its efforts to reform asylum and migration management, and expressed concern at detention conditions and the situation of unaccompanied migrant children. It welcomed the fact that Greece accepted all related recommendations, and urged it to take the steps necessary for their implementation. It noted that Greece continued to argue that instances of police misconduct were isolated cases, and expressed concern at the limited mandate of the Ministry of Citizen Protection. It urged Greece to comply with the relevant recommendations and to create a complaints mechanism in conformity with international standards. It noted that Greece’s acceptance of recommendations to take steps to prevent attacks against migrants should lead to concrete measures. It noted that racist and xenophobic violence was a serious problem in Greece, highlighting the events witnessed in Athens in 2011. 527. Amnesty International welcomed Greece’s commitment to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and called on the Government to establish a mechanism to periodically review places of deprivation of liberty in order to prevent torture and ill-treatment. It welcomed Greece’s support for recommendations to establish an asylum system with international and regional standards, and urged Greece to ensure its early and effective establishment. It noted a rise in racially motivated crimes against thirdcountry nationals in Greece, including refugees and asylum seekers, and called on it to act on accepted recommendations to combat racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia. It expressed deep concern at the treatment of unaccompanied minors, and welcomed the focus of the universal periodic review on the issue. It highlighted the need to abolish, in legislation and practice, the detention of unaccompanied asylum seeking or migrant children. It expressed concern at Greece’s failure to ensure that police respect and protect human rights. It encouraged Greece to establish an independent and effective police complaints mechanism, and welcomed Greece’s support for a recommendation on the recognition of same-sex couples. 528. Conscience and Peace Tax International regretted that Greece’s report made no mention of conscientious objection to military service, despite the submissions of three stakeholders thereon. It noted that, in 1997, Greece was the last member of the European Community to introduce legislation for conscientious objectors to military service. Several provisions still fell short of regional and international norms and highlighted, inter alia, that information about applying for recognition as a conscientious objector was not readily available and the application procedure was rigid and complicated. It noted that the alternative civilian service available was of disproportionate duration, and that some other conditions were punitive. It encouraged States, moving on to the second cycle of the universal periodic review to ensure covering as full a range as possible of the human rights issues identified for a State. 4. Concluding remarks of the State under review 529. The delegation of Greece took note of all comments and additional recommendations. With regard to comments made by ILGA, Greece replied that complaints on sexual discrimination could be addressed to the Ombudsman. On comments made by Conscience and Peace Tax International, the Government had reduced the duration of the civil service for conscientious objectors, and the majority of the members of the special GE.12-17756 157