Report of the 119th session of the UN Human Rights Committee
Published on 29 Mar 2017, 01:55 PM
Overview of the session of the Committee (March 2017)
Wordcloud illustrating the main themes discussed during the 119th session of the Human Rights Committee
The UN Human Rights Committee held its 119th session from the 6th to the 29th March 2017.
At its first meeting, the Committee elected Yuji Iwasawa as the new Chair for a term of two years. It also elected the following members :
- Mauro Politi: Rapporteur on Follow-up of Concluding Observations;
- Photini Pazartzis: Rapporteur on Follow-up of Views;
- Sarah Cleveland and Olivier de Frouville: Rapporteurs on New Communication and Interim Measures;
- Christof Heyns: Rapporteur on Repetitive Communications
- Duncan Laki Muhumuza: Rapporteur on Reprisals.
On the first day of the session, the Committee paid a vibrant tribute to Sir Nigel Rodley who passed away in January 2017. The Centre for Civil and Political Rights was associated to this event.
Examination of six countries, adoption of List of Issues and follow-up report
The Committee reviewed the reports of six States on the implementation of the ICCPR: Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Serbia, Thailand and Turkmenistan.
It also adopted the Lists of Issues in relation to the reports of Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, Jordan and Mauritius, the List of Issues Prior to Reporting (simplified reporting procedure) in relation to the Netherlands and the List of Issues in the absence of State report of Swaziland.
The report adopted on the Follow-up to Concluding Observations assesses the recent information received on the implementation of the Committee’s recommendations in relation to four States: Chile (first assessment), Georgia (second assessment), Ireland (second assessment) and Russian Federation (first assessment). The report will be public in the coming weeks.
46 Views adopted under the individual communication procedure
46 individual communications were examined, out of which 19 were found to have violations, 4 with no violation, 11 were inadmissible, 1 was admissible (merits will be discussed at the next session) and 11 were discontinued.
The Committee also adopted its report on the Follow-up to the Views, which analyses the progress on the implementation of recommendations based on the information received in relation to individual communications. The follow-up report will soon be made public.
First reading of the General Comment on right to life almost completed
In addition, the Committee continued the discussion regarding the draft of a General Comment on article 6 (Right to Life) of the ICCPR. The Committee hopes to finish the first reading at its next session.
