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HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE DISCUSSES REVISED GENERAL COMMENT ON RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL
21 July 2006
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Human Rights Committee
21 July 2006
The Human Rights Committee today discussed its revised General Comment on article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on the right to a fair trial and equality before the courts and tribunals. The revised General Comment, when adopted, will replace the General Comment on the article that was adopted in 1984, reflecting on and further developing it.
The revised General Comment (CCPR/C/GC/32/CRP.1/Rev.1) notes that the right to a fair trial and to equality before the courts and tribunals are key elements of human rights protection and serve by procedural means to safeguard the rule of law. Article 14 of the Covenant aims at ensuring the proper administration of justice, and to this end guarantees a series of specific rights, including that all persons shall be equal before the courts and tribunals; that in criminal or civil cases everyone has a right to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal; that everyone charged with a criminal offence shall have the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law; and that everyone convicted of a crime shall have the right to his conviction and sentence be reviewed by a higher tribunal according to law.
The Committee publishes its interpretation of the content of human rights provisions, known as General Comments, on thematic issues or its methods of work. To date, it has issued 31 General Comments. The general comments of all human rights treaty bodies are compiled annually in the document HRI/GEN/1/Rev.7.
Having discussed the wording of the revised General Comment on a paragraph-by-paragraph basis, the Committee will continue to discuss it when it reconvenes in public on Tuesday, 25 July at 3 p.m.
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For use of the information media; not an official record
21 July 2006
The Human Rights Committee today discussed its revised General Comment on article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on the right to a fair trial and equality before the courts and tribunals. The revised General Comment, when adopted, will replace the General Comment on the article that was adopted in 1984, reflecting on and further developing it.
The revised General Comment (CCPR/C/GC/32/CRP.1/Rev.1) notes that the right to a fair trial and to equality before the courts and tribunals are key elements of human rights protection and serve by procedural means to safeguard the rule of law. Article 14 of the Covenant aims at ensuring the proper administration of justice, and to this end guarantees a series of specific rights, including that all persons shall be equal before the courts and tribunals; that in criminal or civil cases everyone has a right to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal; that everyone charged with a criminal offence shall have the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law; and that everyone convicted of a crime shall have the right to his conviction and sentence be reviewed by a higher tribunal according to law.
The Committee publishes its interpretation of the content of human rights provisions, known as General Comments, on thematic issues or its methods of work. To date, it has issued 31 General Comments. The general comments of all human rights treaty bodies are compiled annually in the document HRI/GEN/1/Rev.7.
Having discussed the wording of the revised General Comment on a paragraph-by-paragraph basis, the Committee will continue to discuss it when it reconvenes in public on Tuesday, 25 July at 3 p.m.
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For use of the information media; not an official record
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