A/HRC/10/29 its position on rejected recommendations and also urged its partners to help ensure adequate follow-up and implementation of the recommendations. 564. Amnesty International welcomed the State’s express support for recommendations to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly; to seek, receive and impart information; to allow independent non-governmental organizations to register and work freely; and to end harassment and intimidation of journalists. It was deeply concerned about serious violations against human rights defenders, journalists and dissidents in Turkmenistan. It had received reports that the two members of the Turkmen Helsinki Foundation had their appeal for pardon rejected by the President in 2008 and that both had been tortured while in custody. Amnesty International regarded them as prisoners of conscience and urged their immediate release, as recommended during the review. It was also very concerned that there appeared to have been no independent investigation into the unexplained death in custody of their co-defendant Ogulsapar Muradova in September 2006. It urged Turkmenistan to reconsider the recommendation, made during the review (paragraph 29 (d) of the report), to hold an independent inquiry into her death. It also noted that recommendations made during the review were to be examined by Turkmenistan, including calls to protect human rights defenders, eradicate impunity for torture and other ill-treatment, and guarantee freedom of the press. Amnesty International urged the Government to indicate clearly its full support for these key recommendations and to ensure their prompt and full implementation. It also stated that earlier commitments of the new Government to carrying out reform to strengthen the protection of human rights were yet to be fully realized and called on the Government to use the opportunity of its review to live up to those promises. 565. With reference to the recommendations contained in paragraph 70 (12) of the report of the Working Group, Conscience and Peace Tax International noted, as a first step, the preparation of the legislation allowing conscientious objectors to perform unarmed military service. It encouraged Turkmenistan to make a careful study of international related standards, including the jurisprudence of the Human Rights Committee, and to bring the State’s legislation into line with them. It drew attention to Commission on Human Rights resolution 1998/77, in which the Commission called for instituting alternative services that were compatible with the reasons for the objection. It indicated that, while unarmed military service met the needs of those whose only objection was to personally bear arms, there were many whose conscience would not permit them to act in support of those who did. It stated that Turkmenistan should bear in mind the recommendation not to imprison conscientious objectors and that any repeated punishment constituted repeated punishment for the same offence. (d) Concluding remarks of the State under review 566. Turkmenistan expressed thanks for the recommendations, critical comments and constructive dialogue, and to the troika. Its policy was to pursue further the development and democratization of all aspects of civil society and the progressive strengthening of its system to protect human rights. With that aim, and with the support of international organizations, activities and consultations, efforts were being made to monitor existing legislation and to bring it into line with international instruments to which Turkmenistan was a party. Within the framework of activities of the Inter-Ministerial Commission, Turkmenistan planned to establish a permanent monitoring of the human rights situation and to develop a national programme on human rights. 567. Replying to Action Canada for Population and Development, the delegation pointed out that, concerning health care, under the new Constitution, as it also was under the previous one, all citizens of Turkmenistan, without exception, had access to health-care 180 GE.09-17451