A/HRC/14/6 58. The Gambia noted that any foreigner who had been arrested was afforded the opportunity to gain access to consular services, but that only a limited number of countries had diplomatic representation in the country. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs positively considered the requests by international human rights organizations to visit detention facilities. 59. With regard to children’s rights, the Gambia observed that it had established a Ministry for Children; that the child justice system had been reinforced and that separate sections for the detention of minors were available. 60. Concerning the arrest of assumed coup plotters in 2006 including journalists, the head of the delegation stated that only two journalists had been arrested and were later released. All those charged have been prosecuted and only one case still pending before the Court. 61. The Constitution guaranteed the independence of judges, established the Office of the Chief Justice and provided that judges could be removed only on specific grounds. The judiciary had financial autonomy, and conditions of service for judges had been improved. In 2009, the Government had adopted the Code of Conduct of Judges. 62. The Electoral Commission worked impartially and independently, and elections were conducted in a fair and free manner. Equal access was provided to the media and to political candidates. 63. With regard to homosexuality and sexual orientation in general, Gambia emphasised that the President had never said that homosexuals should be killed. The Gambia had cultural values, norms and practices that were different from those of other countries, and it did not recognize sexual orientation as a universal human right. The law punishes sexual activity between persons of the same sex. 64. The Gambia stated that the arrest of Femi Peters had been neither a result of his political activity nor a violation of freedom of assembly, but had resulted from his violation of the Public Order Act. 65. Kyrgyzstan welcomed the Gambia’s efforts to strengthen its national human rights protection system. It praised the establishment of the National Commission on Planning and efforts to improve the national education system, including the training of teachers. Kyrgyzstan noted the national policy on HIV/AIDS and commended the upholding of women’s rights and of access to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Kyrgyzstan made recommendations. 66. Mexico recognized the Gambia’s efforts to reduce poverty and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. It commended efforts to prevent and eradicate the trafficking in persons and was pleased to hear that the Gambia would ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It urged the Gambia to continue to implement international standards concerning women’s rights, to establish a national human rights commission in keeping with the Paris Principles and to train the police force in the area of human rights, benefiting from the technical assistance of OHCHR. Mexico made recommendations. 67. Chile noted that the Gambian report described measures that had been adopted to improve the protection and the promotion of human rights in a complex context. Chile made recommendations. 68. Italy expressed concern at the lack of protection of women and girls from violence, including sexual violence, noting that female genital mutilation continued to be widespread. Italy was concerned about reported cases involving arrests of and threats against journalists and about the risks of excessive control over media. Italy described as worrisome 10