Committee Against Torture (CAT) Introduction The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) has reviewed the final version of the initial “report�� submitted by the State of Palestine on the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Convention) of 1984 to the Committee against Torture (CAT). Received on 14 June 2019, the State of Palestine’s report was issued by the CAT on 26 August 2019 under Document CAT/C/PSE/1. The ICHR notes the improved quality of the report submitted to the CAT as compared to the version which was first presented to civil society organisations during the national consultation process sponsored by the ICHR in late 2017. The ICHR recognises that the State of Palestine has been under the most protracted occupation in the world, impeding its obligation to give full effect to the Convention. The ICHR also appreciates the State of Palestine’s admission of some forms of torture in its initial report and its administrative and criminal accountability of persons involved in such acts. Such admission is a good starting point towards putting an end to torture within Palestine. The ICHR has recorded a number of observations omitted from the State of Palestine’s report that should be clarified upon: • In relation to the Common Document 1. The Common Document for all of the conventions, which the State of Palestine acceded to, has not been in place. The report is devoid of any reference to the constitutional and legal effect of the Convention in the Palestinian legal and judicial systems. It fails to clarify any future initiatives for bringing the 7