A/HRC/28/50 enforced disappearance committed by security forces against peaceful demonstrators. 5 In reality, very little is being done to combat impunity. 45. In particular, many human rights violations involving gendarmerie and army officers go unpunished. For example, proceedings against the gendarmes involved in cases of torture and ill-treatment documented by OHCHR since 2012 are still being blocked, because the gendarmerie commanders concerned have failed to respond to all court summonses, claiming that they have not received authorization from their superiors. 46. Marginal progress has been made regarding the events of 28 September 2009, with new charges brought and hearings held. Over the course of 2014, about 400 victims were heard by the investigating judges handling the case. In July 2014, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, head of the military junta at the time of the events, was heard as a witness by a judge from Burkina Faso whose judicial assistance had been requested by the Guinean judiciary. In September 2014, the Minister of Sports at the time of the events was also heard as a witness. 47. However, more than five years after the events, victims and their dependents are still waiting for the authorities to take decisive action, for example by placing the defence and security forces officials accused in the case on inactive duty. Impunity also prevails with regard to the events in Zogota in August 2012, the communal violence that broke out from 15 to 18 July 2013 and the attacks in Womey on 16 September 2014. 7. Violence against women and girls 48. In the previous report, the High Commissioner for Human Rights recommended that the Government should strengthen the fight against all forms of discrimination, especially sexual violence against women and girls, with particular emphasis on combating sexual violence and female genital mutilation (A/HRC/25/44 and Corr.1, para. 57 (d)). 49. During the reporting period, the Government has made considerable efforts to combat discrimination and violence against women. In October 2014, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women noted that significant progress had been made, in particular by the adoption of laws, policies and action plans to combat discrimination and violence against women. The Committee expressed concern, however, over the persistence of stereotypes and harmful practices affecting women, such as forced marriage, domestic violence and female genital mutilation, including female circumcision. 50. Guinea should intensify its efforts to combat such practices, especially female circumcision, to which 97 per cent of women and girls in the country are subjected. A positive first step, which has set a precedent, is the conviction by the Conakry Third Court of First Instance of a female circumciser, who was a repeat offender, to a suspended sentence of 2 years’ imprisonment and the payment of 1 million Guinean francs. 6 51. In addition, impunity still persists in cases of gender-based violence. Indeed, the OHCHR office in Guinea has noted that judicial personnel show a generally tolerant attitude towards sexual offences and sexual violence once proceedings reach the investigation phase. For example, two cases of gang rape were settled amicably in Nzerékoré prefecture under pressure from the local community; the judiciary made no attempt to pursue legal proceedings against the suspects. In another case of rape committed in the village of Nianpara, the suspect was placed on remand, then under judicial supervision, before being returned to the supervision of the investigating judge, then 5 6 GE.15-03278 OHCHR, press release issued on 26 September 2014, available on the OHCHR website at www.ohchr.org/EN/countries/AfricaRegion/Pages/GNIndex.aspx. Judgement issued by the Mafanco Court of First Instance in Matam, Conakry on 17 July 2014. 11