WORKING GROUP ON ARBITRARY DETENTION TO MEET IN GENEVA NEXT WEEK

13 June 2002




The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention will hold its thirty-third session from 17 to 21 June 2002 at the Palais Wilson in Geneva.

The Working Group, established in 1991 by the Commission on Human Rights, investigates instances of alleged arbitrary deprivation of liberty, provided that no final decision has been taken in such cases by local courts. Its mandate also covers the issue of administrative custody of asylum-seekers and immigrants. Representatives of human rights organizations and families or witnesses directly concerned with reports of arbitrary detention submit cases to the panel.
Last year, the Working Group adopted 31 Opinions concerning 94 persons in 22 countries and Palestine. In the same period, the Working Group transmitted a total of 79 urgent appeals concerning 897 individuals to 39 Governments and the Palestinian Authority. The Working Group also formulated general recommendations on the issues of imprisonment related to insolvency and on the recourse to detention as a means of protection of victims (“protective custody”). the Working Group adopted 39 Opinions concerning 21 countries and 115 persons. In 33 Opinions, it considered the deprivation of liberty to be arbitrary. In the same period, the Working Group transmitted to Governments 34 communications as well as total of 107 urgent appeals concerning 499 individuals to 45 Governments and the Palestinian Authority. The Working Group also formulated general recommendations on human rights and State secrets, detention of conscientious objectors and extradition issues.
From 24 May to 6 June of this year the Working Group also undertook a visit to Australia in relation to the country’s administrative custody of unauthorized arrivals.
The Working Group meets three times a year in Geneva. It is composed of five independent experts appointed according to criteria governing equitable geographical distribution which apply in the United Nations. The Working Group is headed by Louis Joinet (France) as Chairman-Rapporteur and is composed of Soledad Villagra de Biedermann (Paraguay), Leïla Zerrougui (Algeria) and Tamás Bán (Hungary). An expert from Asia should be appointed soon by the Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights.

The Working Group= s initial three-year mandate was first extended by the Commission in 1994 and further extended in 1997 and in 2000. Its mandate was clarified and extended by the Commission in its resolution 1997/50 to cover the issue of administrative custody of asylum-seekers and immigrants.

For more information, including previous reports of the Working Group, please visit the following Internet address: http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu2/7/b/mard.htm



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