BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The public must be swiftly apprised of instances involving law enforcement officers in New Caledonia who have misused their authority to reestablish confidence in the system, member of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee, Tijana Shurlan said at the committee's 142nd session, Trend reports.
"It is crucial to provide the public with timely and detailed information about the number of completed disciplinary and criminal cases, judicial decisions, and convictions against law enforcement officers who have abused their power, as such transparency is necessary to restore trust in the system," Shurlan said.
She also highlighted a recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, which mandates France to take measures to reduce overcrowding in prisons.
"In our recent general comments, we recommended efforts to alleviate overcrowding. The establishment of a new right to appeal is a positive step forward. However, we have been informed that numerous challenges hinder its effective use, preventing positive outcomes. Concerns have been raised that overcrowding and inhumane conditions remain an issue," the speaker noted.
Furthermore, Shurlan questioned what measures France has taken to inform inmates about available legal assistance.
"Has information been provided about new legal tools? Are inmates who cannot afford a private lawyer receiving legal aid?" she said.
Concluding her remarks, Shurlan urged the French government to intensify efforts to uphold human rights within the prison system and to propose additional measures to address inhumane conditions in overseas territories.
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