2.1 Lobbying for national legislation for the implementation of the Convention Against Torture and its Optional Protocol 1. Reason for selection 1) In Points 74, 75, and 76 of the concluding observations on Taiwan’s Third National Report on the Two Covenants, the IRC reaffirmed its previous recommendation that the government should ensure that there is a special institution completely independent of other government agencies (especially the police and prosecutor’s office) that conducts criminal investigations into accusations of cruelty in a speedy manner. However, said institution should be fully authorized to conduct criminal investigations. 2) In Point 75c of the concluding observations on Taiwan’s Second National Report on the CRPD, the IRC recommends that Taiwan should establish an independent review system to prevent acts of torture, cruelty, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment, in a similar vein to the national preventive system described in the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, with the ultimate goal of preventing and eliminating restrictive practices including seclusion and restraints. 2. Significance 1) The Executive Yuan has sent the bill for the Act for the Implementation of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and its Optional Protocol to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation. The NHRC will keep track of the legislative progress and provide its professional opinions whenever appropriate. Meanwhile, the NHRC will continue to collect and analyze cases and 33