Human Rights Committee holds its one hundred and sixteenth session in Geneva from 7 to 31 March 2016

Human Rights Committee
BACKGROUND RELEASE

 3 March 2016 

Experts to Review Reports of South Africa, Namibia, Sweden, New Zealand, Slovenia,  Costa Rica and Rwanda

The Human Rights Committee will hold its one hundred and sixteenth session at the Palais Wilson in Geneva from 7 to 31 March, during which it will review the reports of South Africa, Namibia, Sweden, New Zealand, Slovenia, Costa Rica and Rwanda on how they are implementing the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

On Monday, 7 March, the Committee will hear an address by the High Commissioner for Human Rights or his representative and will also adopt its agenda and programme of work.  During the session, the Committee will hear, in closed meetings, from United Nations bodies, specialized agencies, national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations on the situation in the countries that it will review.

During the session the Committee will also hear progress reports from its Special Rapporteurs on follow-up to concluding observations and on follow-up to views.  In addition, the Committee will discuss its methods of work.  The Committee will also consider a number of individual communications in closed meetings.
To promote and raise awareness of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on their fiftieth anniversary, the United Nations Human Rights Office has launched a year-long campaign to shine a light on the inalienable and inherent rights of global citizens -- now, and always.  More information on the campaign entitled “Our Rights. Our Freedoms. Always" will be available at the following link: www.ohchr.org/2covenants. 
Of the seven States parties presenting reports during the session, South Africa is presenting its initial report CCPR/C/ZAF/1 while the other six have been reviewed by the Committee before. 

Namibia is presenting its second periodic report CCPR/C/NAM/2.  The Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on Namibia’s initial report, which was considered in July 2004, can be found in CCPR/CO/81/NAM.

Sweden is presenting its seventh periodic report CCPR/C/SWE/7.  The Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on the sixth periodic report of Sweden, which was considered in March 2009, can be found in CCPR/C/SWE/CO/6.

New Zealand is presenting its sixth periodic report CCPR/C/NZL/6.  The Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on the fifth periodic report of New Zealand, which was considered in March 2010, can be found in CCPR/C/NZL/CO/5.

Slovenia is presenting its third periodic report CCPR/C/SVN/3.  The Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on the second periodic report of Slovenia, which was considered in July 2005, can be found in CCPR/CO/84/SVN.

Costa Rica is presenting its sixth periodic report CCPR/C/CRI/6.  The Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on the fifth periodic report of Costa Rica, which was considered in October 2007, can be found in CCPR/C/CRI/CO/5.
Rwanda is presenting its fourth periodic report CCPR/C/RWA/4.  The Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on the third periodic report of Rwanda, which was considered in March 2009, can be found in CCPR/C/RWA/CO/3.

The country reports and other documentation relating to the session can be found here.

Background on the Covenant

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights was adopted by the General Assembly and opened for signature in 1966 and entered into force in 1976.  The Covenant begins by stating that all peoples have the right of self-determination.  It recognizes that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.  It prohibits torture, cruel or degrading treatment or punishment, and the arbitrary deprivation of life.  Anyone arrested is to be informed of the reasons for the arrest, and anyone arrested or detained on a criminal charge is to be brought promptly before a judge or another legally authorized person.

The Covenant also provides, among other rights, for freedom of movement, and places limitations upon the expulsion of aliens present lawfully in the territory of a State party.  In addition, the rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and to freedom of expression are recognized by the Covenant, which also prohibits any propaganda for war or any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred.

States Parties to Covenant

The following 168 States have ratified or acceded to the Covenant: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, State of Palestine, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Optional Protocols to the Covenant

The Optional Protocol to the Covenant provides for the confidential consideration of communications from individuals who claim to be victims of a violation of any rights recognized in the Covenant.  The Committee can receive no communications if it concerns a State party to the Covenant that is not also a party to the Optional Protocol.

The following 115 States are parties to the Optional Protocol: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Tajikistan, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Zambia.

The Human Rights Committee is also mandated, under article 41 of the Covenant, to consider communications from a State party alleging violations of the Covenants provisions by another State party.  This procedure can be applied when both States recognize this competence of the Committee by a relevant declaration.

The Second Optional Protocol to the Covenant, which aims at the abolition of the death penalty, was adopted by the General Assembly on 15 December 1989 and entered into force on 11 July 1991.

The following 81 States have ratified or acceded to the Second Optional Protocol: Albania, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela.

Membership of the Committee

The States parties to the Covenant elect the Committee's 18 expert members who serve in their individual capacity for four-year terms.  Article 28 of the Covenant requires that "they shall be persons of high moral character and recognized competence in the field of human rights."  They are:

Mr. Yadh Ben Achour (Tunisia); Mr. Lazhari Bouzid (Algeria); Ms. Sarah Cleveland (United States of America); Mr. Olivier de Frouville (France); Mr. Ahmad Amin Fathalla (Egypt); Mr. Yuji Iwasawa (Japan); Ms. Ivana Jelić (Montenegro); Mr. Duncan Laki Muhumuza (Uganda); Ms. Photini Pazartis (Greece); Mr. Mauro Politi (Italy); Mr. Nigel Rodley (United Kingdom); Mr. Victor Manuel Rodriguez-Rescia (Costa Rica); Mr. Fabian Omar Salvioli (Argentina); Mr. D. B. Seetulsingh (Mauritius); Ms. Anja Seibert-Fohr (Germany); Mr. Yuval Shany (Israel); Mr. Konstantine Vardzelashvili (Georgia); and Ms. Margo Waterval (Suriname).

Mr. Salvioli is the Chairperson.  The Vice-Chairpersons are Mr. Iwasawa, Mr. Seetulsingh and Ms. Seibert-Fohr.   Mr. Vardzelashvili is the Rapporteur.

Programme of Work

Monday, 7 March

10 a.m.          Opening of session, adoption of the agenda, report of the working group

10:45 a.m.    Closed meeting

3 p.m.            Review of the initial report of South Africa CCPR/C/ZAF/1

Tuesday, 8 March

10 a.m.         South Africa (continued)

3 p.m.           Review of the second periodic report of Namibia CCPR/C/NAM/2

Wednesday, 9 March

10 a.m.         Namibia (continued)

3 p.m.           Review of the seventh periodic report of Sweden CCPR/C/SWE/7

Thursday, 10 March

10 a.m.         Sweden (continued)

3 p.m.           Adoption of the Annual Report

4 p.m.           Closed meeting

Friday, 11 March

10 a.m.         Closed meeting

3 p.m.           Closed meeting


Monday, 14 March

10 a.m.         General Comment on Article 6

12 p.m.         Closed meeting

3 p.m.           Review of the sixth periodic report of New Zealand CCPR/C/NZL/6

Tuesday, 15 March

10 a.m.         New Zealand (continued)

3 p.m.           Review of the third periodic report of Slovenia CCPR/C/SVN/3

Wednesday, 16 March

10 a.m.         Slovenia (continued)

3 p.m.           Review of the sixth periodic report of Costa Rica CCPR/C/CRI/6

Thursday, 17 March

10 a.m.         Costa Rica (continued)

3 p.m.           Review of the fourth periodic report of Rwanda CCPR/C/RWA/4

Friday, 18 March

10 a.m.         Rwanda (continued)

3 p.m.           Closed meeting

Monday, 21 March

10 a.m.         Progress report of Special Rapporteur on follow-up to concluding observations
11:30 a.m.   Progress report of Special Rapporteur on follow-up to views
3 p.m.           General Comment on Article 6

Tuesday, 22 March

10 a.m.         Closed meeting

3 p.m.            Closed meeting

Wednesday, 23 March

10 a.m.         Closed meeting

3 p.m.           Closed meeting

Thursday, 24 March

10 a.m.         Closed meeting

3 p.m.            Closed meeting

Friday, 25 March

UN HOLIDAY

Monday, 28 March

UN HOLIDAY

Tuesday, 29 March

10 a.m.         Closed meeting

3 p.m.           Closed meeting

Wednesday, 30 March

10 a.m.         Closed meeting

3 p.m.           Closed meeting

Thursday, 31 March

10 a.m.         Methods of work, announcement of bureau decisions and public closing

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