HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE DISCUSSES DRAFT GUIDELINES FOR STATES REPORTS

AFTERNOON
HR/CT/99/8
12 July 1999





The Human Rights Committee this afternoon discussed draft guidelines for States reports to the Committee under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The draft guidelines, prepared by one of its members, Lord Colville, of the United Kingdom, aimed at replacing all earlier versions issued by the Committee.

In its introduction, the draft guidelines stressed that under Article 40 of the International Covenant, every State party, upon ratifying the Covenant, undertook to submit an initial report within a year of the Covenant's entry into force for that State.

The draft further outlined the contents of the initial report to be submitted by States parties for consideration by the Committee. According to the draft, the report should deal specifically with every article of the Covenant. It should also explain whether the Covenant was incorporated into domestic law, and, if not, whether the nation’s constitution guaranteed Covenant rights. Further, the draft states that information should be given about the judicial, administrative or other competent authorities having jurisdiction in respect to Covenant rights.

The draft proposal noted that originally the subsequent periodic reports to the Committee were to be submitted every five years, but that the practice had been adopted instead of stating at the time of the Committee's concluding observations a specific date when the next periodic report was due. The draft stated that the objective of the country reports should be a continuation and up-dating of the previous dialogue, with a focus on fulfilment of the State party's obligations under the Covenant.

The Committee is expected to adopt the draft guidelines during the course of its current session.

Also this afternoon, the Committee held a brief private meeting to examine confidential communications from individuals claiming to be victims of violations of rights proclaimed under the treaty. Only States parties that recognized the competence of the Committee under the First Optional Protocol to the Covenant are concerned by such procedures.

When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, 13 July, it will hear general comments on provisions of the International Covenant.