Kiribati: Necessity to integrate and define the crime of Torture in domestic legislation

The country delegation was led by Kaaro Neeti, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Taskforce and Secretary of the Ministry of Justice.

The CAT welcomed Kiribati’s first periodic review and the numerous state delegations taking part in this first exchange with the Committee.

Main issues discussed:

The CAT experts welcomed the implementation of a gender-based violence strategy and the 2014 Family Peace Act aiming at tackling domestic violence and holding perpetrators of domestic violence accountable. Yet, the experts recommended the implementation of an updated systematic data collection mechanism to track the efficiency and accuracy of the measures taken.

The CAT expressed the importance of integrating the specific crime of torture in Kiribati’s domestic legislation, which is currently absent, and to define the crime conform article 1 of the Convention against Torture.

The CAT also inquired about Kiribati’s detention units’ infrastructure, prisoners’ legal safeguards and human rights guarantees as well as their access to educational programs and medical and psychological assistance. The experts further emphasized the importance of guaranteeing the human rights of vulnerable detention populations such as minors and women who have faced different forms of domestic violence, including sexual violence.

The CAT concluded its review by asking whether civil society organizations have access to detention facilities and can speak privately with the detainees, and whether prison personnel receive training in human rights with a specific emphasis on the Mandela Rules.

The CAT recommendations are available here

Follow-up recommendations:

The State party should provide information by 24 November 2024 on the implementation of recommendations regarding:

• Definition and criminalization of torture
• Monitoring
• Training

Watch here part one and part two of the dialogue with the Committee.