In November 2011, the UN Committee against Torture adopted its Concluding
Observations concerning Sri Lanka, Bulgaria and Germany, issuing a series of
recommendations in line with what TRIAL had called for in three alternative
reports submitted in September 2011.

TRIAL had submitted to the Committee three reports, the core of which was a
critical analysis of Sri Lankan, Bulgarian and German domestic legislation,
underlining their incompatibility with the provisions of the _[1]Convention
against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment_ dealing with the obligation to introduce domestic criminal
provisions allowing the repression of the crime of torture and the
prosecution of these acts according to the principle of _[2]universal
jurisdiction_.
Links:
1. http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cat.htm
2. http://www.trial-ch.org/en/resources/international-law/universal-jurisdiction.html

In brief, the Committee followed TRIAL requests demanding the three States
to adopt domestic provisions properly criminalising the crime of torture and
allowing the prosecution of suspected torturers, even for acts committed
abroad, only by the very fact that the suspect is found on their territory.

TRIAL had submitted a fourth [3]report concerning Greece. Due to the fact
that the State was not present at the last session, the Committee is going
to issue its Observations on Greece in the upcoming months.
Links:
3. http://trial-ch.org/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/reports/Greece_-_TRIAL_submission_to_CAT_-_September_2011.pdf

_For further information_
* [4]Special TRIAL page on universal jurisdiction and the United Nations
Treaty Bodies
Links:
4. http://www.trial-ch.org/en/activities/litigation/the-advocacy-center-trial-act/acts-cases/competence-universelle-et-comites-onu.html

* [5]TRIAL Report on Sri Lanka
* [6]Concluding Observations of the Committee on Sri Lanka
Links:
5. http://trial-ch.org/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/reports/Sri_Lanka_-_TRIAL_submission_to_CAT_-_September_2011.pdf
6. http://trial-ch.org/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/UNDocs/CAT.C.LKA.CO.3-4_en.doc

* [7]TRIAL Report on Bulgaria
* [8]Concluding Observations of the Committee on Bulgaria
Links:
7. http://trial-ch.org/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/reports/Bulgaria_-_TRIAL_submission_to_CAT_-_September_2011.pdf
8. http://trial-ch.org/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/UNDocs/CAT.C.BGR.CO.4-5_en.doc

* [9]TRIAL Report on Germany
* [10]Concluding Observations of the Committee on Germany
Links:
9. http://trial-ch.org/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/reports/Germany_-_TRIAL_submission_to_CAT_-_September_2011.pdf
10. http://trial-ch.org/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/UNDocs/CAT.C.DEU.CO.5_en.doc