Human Rights Committee to hold its one-hundredth and third session in Geneva from 17 October to 4 November 2011

BACKGROUND RELEASE

13 October 2011

Experts will review reports of Iran, Jamaica, Kuwait and Norway and will consider situation in Malawi in absence of a report

Reports submitted by the Governments of Iran, Jamaica, Kuwait and Norway on measures taken to implement the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in those countries will be reviewed by the Human Rights Committee at its one-hundredth and third session, which will be held in Geneva at the Palais Wilson from 17 October to 4 November 2011. The Committee will also consider the human rights situation in Malawi in the absence of a report.

On the first day of the session, the 18 member Committee will hear an address by the High Commissioner for Human Rights or her representative and adopt its agenda and programme of work. The Committee will then hear, in a closed meeting, from United Nations organizations, specialized agencies, non-governmental organizations and national human rights institutions on the situation in the countries that it will review.

The Committee is scheduled to examine the third periodic report of Iran on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning, 17 and 18 October; the third periodic report of Jamaica on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning, 19 and 20 October; the second periodic report of Kuwait on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, 20 and 21 October; and the sixth periodic report of Norway on the afternoon of Monday, 24 October and the morning of Tuesday, 25 October. On Tuesday afternoon, 25 October, the Committee will consider the situation in Malawi in the absence of a report in closed session. The Committee will adopt its concluding observations on the implementation of the Covenant by these countries towards the end of its three-week session.

With the exception of Malawi, all the countries under review during this session have presented reports to the Committee before. All the documentation from the previous sessions, including the Committee’s concluding observations, can be accessed via the Committee’s website: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/sessions.htm. The Committee will also consider the implementation of the Covenant in Malawi in the absence of a report, pursuant to rule 70 of its rules of procedure.

The four countries presenting reports are among the 167 States parties to the Covenant, which was adopted in 1966 by the General Assembly. The Committee, as a monitoring body, periodically examines reports submitted by States parties on the promotion and protection of civil and political rights. Representatives of those Governments introduce the reports and respond to oral and written questions from Committee members.

Under the Optional Protocol to the Covenant, 114 States parties recognize the competence of the Committee to consider confidential communications from individuals claiming to be victims of violations of any rights proclaimed under the treaty. At present, 323 communications are pending before the Committee. During the course of the present session, the Committee will review 20 of these communications. Seventy-three States parties have ratified or acceded to the Second Optional Protocol to the Covenant, which aims to abolish the death penalty.

Also during the session, the Committee's Special Rapporteurs for follow-up on concluding observations and for follow-up on Views (Committee opinions and recommendations rendered on communications) are scheduled to provide progress reports on their activities. On Thursday, 27 October the Committee will also hold a meeting with States parties in Room XVII at the Palais des Nations, and on Friday, 28 October it will hold a public meeting in which it discusses its working methods.

Background on the Covenant

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights was adopted by the General Assembly and opened for signature in 1966, together with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Both entered into force in 1976.

The Civil and Political Rights Covenant begins by stating that all peoples have the right of self-determination. It recognizes that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. It prohibits torture, cruel or degrading treatment or punishment, and the arbitrary deprivation of life. Anyone arrested is to be informed of the reasons for the arrest, and anyone arrested or detained on a criminal charge is to be brought promptly before a judge or another legally authorized person.

The Covenant also provides, among other rights, for freedom of movement, and places limitations upon the expulsion of aliens present lawfully in the territory of a State party. In addition, the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and to freedom of expression are recognized by the Covenant, which also prohibits any propaganda for war or any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred.

States Parties to Covenant

The following 167 States have ratified or acceded to the Covenant: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Optional Protocols to the Covenant

The Optional Protocol to the Covenant provides for the confidential consideration of communications from individuals who claim to be victims of a violation of any rights recognized in the Covenant. The Committee can receive no communications if it concerns a State party to the Covenant that is not also a party to the Optional Protocol.

The following 114 States are parties to the Optional Protocol: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Tajikistan, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Zambia.

The Human Rights Committee is also mandated, under article 41 of the Covenant, to consider communications from a State party alleging violations of the Covenants provisions by another State party. This procedure can be applied when both States recognize this competence of the Committee by a relevant declaration. So far, 48 States have made the declaration under article 41.

The Second Optional Protocol to the Covenant, which aims at the abolition of the death penalty, was adopted by the General Assembly on 15 December 1989 and entered into force on 11 July 1991. The following 73 States have ratified or acceded to the Second Optional Protocol: Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.

Membership of Committee

The States parties to the Covenant elect the Committee's 18 expert members who serve in their individual capacity for four-year terms. Article 28 of the Covenant requires that "they shall be persons of high moral character and recognized competence in the field of human rights." They are: Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia); Lazhari Bouzid (Algeria); Christine Chanet (France); Ahmad Amin Fathalla (Egypt); Cornelis Flinterman (the Netherlands); Yuji Iwasawa (Japan); Rajsoomer Lallah (Mauritius); Zonke Zanele Majodina (South Africa); Iulia Antoanella Motoc (Romania); Gerarld Neuman (United States); Michael O'Flaherty (Ireland); Rafael Rivas Posada (Colombia); Nigel Rodley (United Kingdom); Fabian Omar Salvioli (Argentina); Krister Thelin (Sweden); and Margo Waterval (Suriname). Following the resignation of Helen Keller (Switzerland) and Mahjoub El Haiba (Morocco), both effective 30 September 2011, the Secretary-General announced the vacant positions and called for elections which will take place in New York on 16 January 2012.

The Committee Chairperson is Zonke Zanele Majodina; and the Vice-Chairpersons are Yuji Iwasawa, Michael O'Flaherty and Fabian Omar Salvioli.

Tentative Timetable for Opening/Closing of Session and Consideration of Reports

For a full programme of work, please go to the following address on the Committee’s web page: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/hrcs103.htm

Monday, 17 October

10 a.m. Opening of session, adoption of agenda, report of working group, working methods

3 p.m. Iran: third periodic report (CCPR/C/IRN/3)

Tuesday, 18 October

10 a.m. Iran (continued)

3 p.m. Closed meeting

Wednesday, 19 October

11 a.m. Working methods

3 p.m. Jamaica: third periodic report (CCPR/C/JAM/3)

Thursday, 20 October

10 a.m. Jamaica (continued)

3 p.m. Kuwait: second periodic report (CCPR/C/KWT/2)

Friday, 21 October

10 a.m. Kuwait (continued)

3 p.m. Closed meeting

Monday, 24 October

10 a.m. Progress report of Special Rapporteur for follow-up to concluding observations
Progress report of Special Rapporteur for follow-up to views

3 p.m. Norway: sixth periodic report (CCPR/NOR/6)

Tuesday, 25 October

10 a.m. Norway (continued)

3 p.m. Closed Meeting

Wednesday, 26 October

10 a.m. Closed Meeting

3 p.m. Closed Meeting

Thursday, 27 October

10 a.m. Closed Meeting

3 p.m. Meeting with States parties (Palais des Nations, Room XVII)

Friday, 28 October

10 a.m. Closed Meeting

3 p.m. Discussion of Working Methods

Friday, 4 November

10 a.m. Closed Meeting

4 p.m. Discussion of Working Methods and announcement of bureau decisions

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For use of the information media; not an official record