A/HRC/34/12 88. Côte d’Ivoire appreciated the adoption of laws on equality, in 2012, and on the Office of the Ombudsman, in 2014. It also welcomed the draft law criminalizing offences motivated by prejudice, contempt or hatred, and the plan of action for the Roma population for 2016-2020. It noted that challenges remained with regard to legislation being implemented in practice. 89. Croatia welcomed the commitment to putting in place a new national human rights action plan with an accompanying coordination body. It encouraged the Government to involve civil society organizations further in promoting and defending the rights of vulnerable groups, including the rights of persons with disabilities. 90. The delegation stated that the new Broadcasting Code, awaiting its final reading and approval in Parliament, was a neutral document that would ensure respect for human rights and citizens’ freedom of choice, and would tackle the issues of the concentration of the mass media, eliminating and preventing monopolies in the media market, self-censorship, the fight against piracy, manipulation, protection of the information space, countering propaganda that targeted social divisions, inter-ethnic tension and racial hatred. 91. The delegation underlined the progress that had been achieved in setting the legal framework for combating torture and ill-treatment. For the first time, the Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code and the Enforcement Code had been amended to criminalize inhuman or degrading treatment, as had the existing regulations on torture as well as on aggravating circumstances. Criminal punishment was now prescribed in cases of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, and it was no longer possible to apply either amnesties or lighter punishments than those stipulated by the law. Criminal sanctions for torture had been made significantly harsher and it now came under the exclusive competence of the prosecutor to prosecute cases of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, or cases or crimes attributed to police officers, and to special investigating bodies. 92. Regarding trafficking in human beings, the delegation advised that the Criminal Code listed distinct offences for the notions of trafficking in human beings and trafficking in children. The sanctions had been tightened starting from 2013, including for perpetrators who were public and international officials and for the final beneficiaries of these illegal deeds. New offences had been added to the Criminal Code, such as trafficking in human organs and tissue, and publicity for the selling and purchasing of human organs and tissue, in order to comply with the relevant European convention. A specialized unit had been created within the Office of the Prosecutor General, and legal professionals were being trained in how to deal with such cases. A new strategy on preventing and combating trafficking in persons was under consideration. 93. Regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights, the delegation advised that implementation of the Law on Ensuring Equality included extensive information campaigns on anti-discrimination policy. 94. Cyprus noted the commitment to draw up a new national human rights action plan. It encouraged the Government to enhance efforts aimed at improving legal protections for vulnerable groups of the population, addressing in particular the phenomenon of domestic violence and gender-based assaults in rural areas. 95. Czechia welcomed the delegation and expressed appreciation for its replies to the questions that were sent in advance. 96. The Dominican Republic welcomed the adoption of the Law on the People’s Advocate (Ombudsman), the implementation of the recommendations from the first cycle, and the National Human Rights Action Plan and the development of a new plan. 97. El Salvador welcomed the progress achieved on human rights, particularly the adoption of a new law on the prosecution service and the law providing for a 40 per cent 11