BACKGROUND RELEASE

Committee to Consider Reports of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Australia, Jordan, Mauritius, Cameroon and Romania

GENEVA (12 October 2017) - The Human Rights Committee will hold its one hundred and twenty-first session at the Palais Wilson in Geneva from 16 October to 10 November 2017, during which it will review the efforts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Austria, Jordan, Mauritius, Cameroon and Romania to implement the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

At its opening meeting at 10 a.m. on Monday, 16 October, the Committee will hear an address from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights or his representative, and adopt its agenda and programme of work. It will then hold briefings with United Nations organizations and specialized agencies, as well as with non-governmental organizations and national human rights institutions from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Australia and Jordan in closed meetings.

On Monday, 23 October, at 10 a.m. the Committee will meet with non-governmental organizations and national human rights institutions from Mauritius, Cameroon and Romania in closed meetings. In other meetings the Committee will continue discussing a draft General Comment on article 6 on the right to life, consider the progress report of the Special Rapporteur on follow-up to concluding observations and views, and discuss draft rules of procedure and methods of work.

The Committee’s dialogues with the delegations will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the ground floor conference room at the Palais Wilson, and will be webcast live. Detailed meetings coverage in English and French can be found on the United Nations Information Service’s webpage.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is presenting its fourth periodic report (CCPR/C/COD/4); the Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on its third periodic report, discussed in March 2006, are available here: CCPR/C/COD/CO/3.

Dominican Republic is presenting its sixth periodic report (CCPR/C/DOM/6). The concluding observations on its fifth periodic report, considered in March 2012, can be found here: CCPR/C/DOM/CO/5.

Australia is presenting its sixth periodic report (CCPR/C/AUS/Q/6), while the Committee’s concluding observations on its fifth periodic report, discussed in March 2009, are available in this document: CCPR/C/AUS/CO/5.

Jordan is presenting its fifth periodic report (CCPR/C/JOR/5), and the concluding observations on its fourth periodic report, which the Committee considered in October 2010, can be read here: CCPR/C/JOR/CO/4.

Mauritius is presenting its fifth periodic report (CCPR/C/MUS/5). The concluding observations on its fourth periodic report, considered in March 2005, can be found in this document: CCPR/CO/83/MUS.

Cameroon is presenting its fifth periodic report (CCPR/C/CMR/5). The concluding observations on Cameroon’s fourth periodic report, considered in July 2010, can be read here: CCPR/C/CMR/CO/4.

Romania is presenting its fifth periodic report (CCPR/C/ROU/5), and the concluding observations on its fourth periodic report, which the Committee considered in July 1999, can be found here:
CCPR/C/79/Add.111.

Further information about the session including the country reports and other documents before the Committee are available on the session’s webpage, where the concluding observations of the Committee on each State party will also be published after 10 November 2017.

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 169 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, Sao Tome and Principe, 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 116 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, Sao Tome and Principe, 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 84 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, Dominican Republic, 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, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Togo, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.

Membership of the Committee

The Committee is composed of 18 independent experts who are persons of high moral character and recognized competence in the field of human rights. Members are elected for a term of four years by States parties. They serve in their personal capacity and may be re-elected if nominated. The membership of the Committee is as follows:

Ms. Tania María Abdo Rocholl (Paraguay); Mr. Yadh Ben Achour (Tunisia); Ms. Ilze Brands Kehris (Latvia); Ms. Sarah Cleveland (United States of America); Mr. Ahmad Amin Fathalla (Egypt); Mr. Olivier de Frouville (France); Mr. Christof Heyns (South Africa); Mr. Yuji Iwasawa (Japan); Ms. Ivana Jeliæ (Montenegro); Mr. Koita Bamariam (Mauritania); Marcia Kran (Canada); Mr. Duncan Laki Muhumuza (Uganda); Ms. Photini Pazartis (Greece); Mr. Mauro Politi (Italy); Mr. José Manuel Santos Pais (Portugal); Ms. Anja Seibert-Fohr (Germany); Mr. Yuval Shany (Israel); and Ms. Margo Waterval (Suriname).

Mr. Iwasawa is the Committee Chairperson, Mr. Fathalla, Ms. Jeliæ and Mr. Shany are Vice-Chairpersons, and Ms. Margo Waterval is the Rapporteur.

Programme of Work

Monday, 16 October
10 a.m. Opening of the session, adoption of the agenda
10.45 Closed meeting
3 p.m. Report of the Democratic Republic of the Congo CCPR/C/COD/4
Tuesday, 17 October
10 a.m. Democratic Republic of the Congo (continued)
3 p.m. Report of Dominican Republic CCPR/C/DOM/6
Wednesday, 18 October
10 a.m. Dominican Republic (continued)
3 p.m. Report of Australia CCPR/C/AUS/6
Thursday, 19 October
10 a.m. Australia (continued)
3 p.m. Report of Jordan CCPR/C/JOR/5
Friday, 20 October
10 a.m. Jordan (continued)
3 p.m. Closed meeting
Monday, 23 October
10 a.m. Methods of work (public)
12 p.m. Closed meeting
3 p.m. Report of Mauritius CCPR/C/MUS/5
Tuesday, 24 October
10 a.m. Mauritius (continued)
3 p.m. Report of Cameroon CCPR/C/CMR/5
Wednesday, 25 October
10 a.m. Cameroon (continued)
3 p.m. Report of Romania CCPR/C/ROU/5
Thursday, 26 October
10 a.m. Romania (continued)
3 p.m. Closed meeting
Friday, 27 October
10 a.m. General Comment on Article 6
3 p.m. Closed meeting
Monday, 30 October
10 a.m. Progress report of Special Rapporteur on Follow-up to Concluding Observations (public)

11:30 a.m. Progress report of Special Rapporteur on Follow-up to Views (public)
3 p.m. Closed meeting
Tuesday, 31 October
Closed meetings

Wednesday, 1 November
10 a.m. General Comment on Article 6
3 p.m. Closed meeting

Thursday, 2 November
10 a.m. General Comment on Article 6

3 p.m. Closed meetings

Friday, 3 November
Closed meetings

Monday, 6 November
Closed meetings

Tuesday, 7 November
Closed meetings
Wednesday, 8 November
Closed meetings
Thursday, 9 November
Closed meetings

Friday, 10 November
10 a.m. Closed meeting
3 p.m. Methods of Work, announcement of bureau decisions, and public closing of the session