TWO-DAY EUROPEAN TORTURE PREVENTION COMMITTEE SEMINAR OPENS

( Editorial: --> 6610 ) ZAGREB, July 9 (Hina) - A two-day informative seminar for members of the European Committee for Torture Prevention and Croatian police began in Zagreb on Thursday. The seminar is organised by the Council of Europe and the Croatian Ministry of Interior Affairs. The Torture Prevention Committee is working out mechanisms for an effective application of the convention on prevention of torture and inhuman and degrading procedures and punishments. According to the head of the Croatian Interior Minister's office Zdravko Zidovec, a new police act, which will also incorporate experience from this seminar, will soon be adopted. A vice president of the Torture Prevention Committee, John Olden from Ireland, presented the foundations of the committee's activities and ways of organisation, and mechanisms for cooperation with countries signatories to the above mentioned convention. The seminar is also attended by representatives of the Croatian Ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, Justice, Health, Labour and Social Welfare, by representatives of non-government organisations, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the International Torture Victims Rehabilitation Centre, the Croatian Helsinki Watch and the Croatian Legal centre. (hina) ha as 091338 MET jul 98