Human Rights Committee publishes its concluding observations on Sri Lanka, Burundi, Haiti, Malta, Montenegro and Israel

GENEVA (30 October 2014) – The UN Human Rights Committee has published its concluding observations on the States it examined during its 112th session from 7-31 October. In its concluding observations, the Committee highlights positive aspects of how a State is implementing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), raises principal matters of concern and makes recommendations.

The concluding observations on the six States can be found here: http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=811&Lang=en

The Committee also published an authoritative new commentary, known as a general comment, on one of the most important issues in international human rights law – when and how is it justified to deprive a person of their liberty, and what obligations do States have to avoid people being unlawfully or arbitrarily detained.

See a summary press release: http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2014/10/liberty-and-security-human-rights-committee-clarifies-limits-detention
Full text of ‘General Comment No 35 – Article 9: Liberty and security of person’ can be downloaded here:http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CCPR%2fC%2fGC%2f35&Lang=en

ENDS

The Human Rights Committee is a body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the ICCPR by States that have ratified the treaty.
http://www.ohchr.org/en/treaty-bodies/ccpr

ICCPR: http://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/international-covenant-civil-and-political-rights

For more information and media requests, please contact: Kate Fox kfox@ohchr.org/ 41 22 917 9398 or Liz Throssell ethrossell@ohchr.org / 41 22 917 9466 / 41 79 752 0488