A/HRC/39/3 106. The delegation reported on various measures that had been taken to improve conditions of detention, including prison cells and sanitary and hygiene facilities, and bring them into line with relevant standards and to protect the health of persons deprived of liberty. Turkmenistan has allocated more than $67 million for construction work and repairs to facilities in the prison system and for the acquisition of medical equipment in the period 2011–2017. Following the adoption in 2011 of the Penal Enforcement Code, the laws and regulations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs had been revised to bring them into line with the Code. 107. On the subject of enforced disappearances and unlawful detention, such imprisonments had in fact been carried out on the basis of the court judgments by which individuals had been found guilty of committing criminal offences under domestic legislation. Such imprisonments could not be described as enforced or as involuntary disappearance, as the individuals in question had regular contact with their family members. 108. Courts had not recorded any complaints or instances of torture or ill-treatment since the amendment to the Criminal Code had been introduced in 2012 to incorporate an article criminalizing torture. The Ministry of the Interior had introduced measures to prevent torture or inhuman treatment in penitentiary institutions. 109. The right to freedom of movement, including the right to leave the country, has been enshrined in the new Constitution and protected by national laws. The temporary restrictions on the right of citizens to freedom of movement had been introduced under the provisions of relevant laws in order to protect national security and public order, and to ensure the safety and health of citizens. 110. The State Guarantees of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men Act had introduced protection measures against harassment, sexual violence, abduction and trafficking of women and men. There was no specific offence of domestic violence in domestic legislation. However, domestic legislation criminalized acts that harmed the dignity and physical integrity of all individuals, including women, as well as acts of humiliation or cruelty and acts that inflicted various types of bodily injury. One of the objectives of the National Action Plan on Gender Equality in Turkmenistan for the period 2015–2020 had been to examine national legislation in the light of international standards and best practices and to develop proposals on how to improve further domestic legislation to effectively prevent domestic violence. 111. Responding to calls for the ratification of human rights instruments, the delegation explained that Turkmenistan considered it important to carry out preparatory work prior to such ratifications, by analysing domestic legislation and studying the feasibility of legal reforms. 112. The delegation did not share the view expressed during the interactive dialogue that media outlets critical of the Government faced serious restrictions in the country. The statistics on the use of the Internet and social media indicated that there were no limitations on the access by the population to the Internet. 113. The delegation thanked the participants of the interactive dialogue for their active input and reassured them that all of the recommendations that had been put forward would be examined thoroughly and used to improve further the human rights situation in the country. II. Conclusions and/or recommendations 114. The recommendations formulated during the interactive dialogue/listed below have been examined by Turkmenistan and enjoy the support of Turkmenistan: 114.1 Carry on ratifying international human rights treaties (Azerbaijan); 114.2 Ratify (Afghanistan); the Convention against Discrimination in Education 11

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