HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE DECIDES TO CONSIDER SITUATION IN THE GAMBIA IN PRIVATE AFTER DELEGATION FAILS TO APPEAR

Human Rights Committee
75th session
15 July 2002
Afternoon




The Human Rights Committee this afternoon decided to consider the situation of human rights in the Gambia in private after a Government delegation from that country failed to appear before the 18-member Committee.
The Committee was scheduled to consider the situation of human rights in the Gambia this afternoon and on Tuesday in the absence of a report, which the State party has failed to submit for the last 17 years. The Gambian Government promised to send a delegation from the capital to appear before the Committee and answer questions raised by the Experts. However, the Secretariat learnt this afternoon that no delegation was coming before the Committee because of "technical reasons".
After a brief discussion, the Committee decided to go ahead with its consideration of the situation in private on the basis of its list of issues prepared by the Experts in advance and information obtained from different sources.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 16 July, it will continue to consider the human rights situation in the Gambia in private. The Bureau meets at 3 p.m. in private and the Committee will meet in public at 4p.m. to discuss a draft general comment on reporting obligations by States parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.



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