Report
General comment No. 33 on Obligations of States parties under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Issued by
CCPR
Issued by
CCPR
Issued by Treaty bodies
Subject
Civil and political rights
Symbol Number
CCPR/C/GC/33
Topic | Obligations of States parties under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights |
Date adopted | 31 October 2008 |
Although the Optional Protocol is organically related to the Covenant, it is not automatically in force for all States parties to the Covenant. Article 8 of the Optional Protocol provides that States parties to the Covenant may become parties to the Optional Protocol only by a separate expression of consent to be bound. A majority of States parties to the Covenant have also become parties to the Optional Protocol.
This general comment offers guidance and clarification on many of the terms used in the Optional Protocol, in order to help States observe their obligations correctly.