The
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is a
multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly
with resolution 2200A (XXI) on 19 December 1966, and in force from 23
March 1976 in accordance with Article 49 of the covenant. Article 49
allowed that the covenant will enter into force three months after the
date of the deposit of the thirty-fifth instrument of ratification or
accession. The covenant commits its parties to respect the civil and
political rights of individuals, including the right to life, freedom
of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, electoral rights
and rights to due process and a fair trial.[2] As of
February 2017[update], the Covenant has 170 parties and six more
signatories without ratification.[1]
The ICCPR is part of the International Bill of Human Rights, along
with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights (ICESCR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR).[3]
The ICCPR is monitored by the
United Nations Human Rights Committee

United Nations Human Rights Committee (a
separate body to the United Nations Human Rights Council), which
reviews regular reports of States parties on how the rights are being
implemented. States must report initially one year after acceding to
the Covenant and then whenever the Committee requests (usually every
four years). The Committee normally meets in Geneva and normally holds
three sessions per year.
Contents
1 History
2 Articles of the Covenant
2.1 Rights to physical integrity
2.2 Liberty and security of person
2.3 Procedural fairness and rights of the accused
2.4 Individual liberties
2.5 Political rights
3 Optional protocols
4 Reservations
5 Implementation and effects
5.1 Australia
5.2 Ireland
5.3 New Zealand
5.4 United States
5.4.1 Reservations, understandings, and declarations
5.4.2 Constitutionality
5.4.3 Non-compliance
6 Parties to the Covenant
7 States not party to the Covenant
7.1 Signatories that have not ratified
7.2 States which are neither signatories nor parties
8 See also
9 Notes
10 References
11 External links
History[edit]
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
The ICCPR has its roots in the same process that led to the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.[4] A "Declaration on the Essential Rights
of Man" had been proposed at the 1945 San Francisco Conference which
led to the founding of the United Nations, and the Economic and Social
Council was given the task of drafting it.[3] Early on in the process,
the document was split into a declaration setting forth general
principles of human rights, and a convention or covenant containing
binding commitments. The former evolved into the UDHR and was adopted
on 10 December 1948.[3]
The States Parties to the present Covenant, including those having
responsibility for the administration of Non-Self-Governing and Trust
Territories, shall promote the realization of the right of
self-determination, and shall respect that right, in conformity with
the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.[5]
Drafting continued on the convention, but there remained significant
differences between UN members on the relative importance of negative
Civil and Political versus positive Economic, Social and Cultural
rights.[6] These eventually caused the convention to be split into two
separate covenants, "one to contain civil and political rights and the
other to contain economic, social and cultural rights."[7] The two
covenants were to contain as many similar provisions as possible, and
be opened for signature simultaneously.[7] Each would also contain an
article on the right of all peoples to self-determination.[8]
The first document became the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights and the second the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The drafts were presented to the
UN General Assembly for discussion in 1954, and adopted in 1966.[9] As
a result of diplomatic negotiations the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was adopted shortly before the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Together, the
UDHR and the two Covenants are considered to be the foundational human
rights texts in the contemporary international system of human
rights.[10]
Articles of the Covenant[edit]
The Covenant follows the structure of the UDHR and ICESCR, with a
preamble and fifty-three articles, divided into six parts.[11]
Part 1 (Article 1) recognizes the right of all peoples to
self-determination, including the right to "freely determine their
political status",[12] pursue their economic, social and cultural
goals, and manage and dispose of their own resources. It recognises a
negative right of a people not to be deprived of its means of
subsistence,[13] and imposes an obligation on those parties still
responsible for non-self governing and trust territories (colonies) to
encourage and respect their self-determination.[14]
Part 2 (Articles 2 – 5) obliges parties to legislate where necessary
to give effect to the rights recognised in the Covenant, and to
provide an effective legal remedy for any violation of those
rights.[15] It also requires the rights be recognised "without
distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language,
religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin,
property, birth or other status,"[16] and to ensure that they are
enjoyed equally by women.[17] The rights can only be limited "in time
of public emergency which threatens the life of the nation,"[18] and
even then no derogation is permitted from the rights to life, freedom
from torture and slavery, the freedom from retrospective law, the
right to personhood, and freedom of thought, conscience and
religion.[19]
Part 3 (Articles 6 – 27) lists the rights themselves. These include
rights to:
physical integrity, in the form of the right to life and freedom from
torture and slavery (Articles 6, 7, and 8);
liberty and security of the person, in the form of freedom from
arbitrary arrest and detention and the right to habeas corpus
(Articles 9 – 11);
procedural fairness in law, in the form of rights to due process, a
fair and impartial trial, the presumption of innocence, and
recognition as a person before the law (Articles 14, 15, and 16);
individual liberty, in the form of the freedoms of movement, thought,
conscience and religion, speech, association and assembly, family
rights, the right to a nationality, and the right to privacy (Articles
12, 13, 17 – 24);
prohibition of any propaganda for war as well as any advocacy of
national or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to
discrimination, hostility or violence by law (Article 20);
political participation, including the right to the right to vote
(Article 25);
Non-discrimination, minority rights and equality before the law
(Articles 26 and 27).
Many of these rights include specific actions which must be undertaken
to realise them.
Part 4 (Articles 28 – 45) governs the establishment and operation of
the
Human Rights Committee

Human Rights Committee and the reporting and monitoring of the
Covenant. It also allows parties to recognise the competence of the
Committee to resolve disputes between parties on the implementation of
the Covenant (Articles 41 and 42).
Part 5 (Articles 46 – 47) clarifies that the Covenant shall not be
interpreted as interfering with the operation of the United Nations or
"the inherent right of all peoples to enjoy and utilize fully and
freely their natural wealth and resources".[20]
Part 6 (Articles 48 – 53) governs ratification, entry into force,
and amendment of the Covenant.
Rights to physical integrity[edit]
Main articles: Right to life, Torture, and Slavery
Article 6 of the Covenant recognises the individual's "inherent right
to life" and requires it to be protected by law.[21] It is a "supreme
right" from which no derogation can be permitted, and must be
interpreted widely.[22] It therefore requires parties to take positive
measures to reduce infant mortality and increase life expectancy, as
well as forbidding arbitrary killings by security forces.[22]
While Article 6 does not prohibit the death penalty, it restricts its
application to the "most serious crimes"[23] and forbids it to be used
on children and pregnant women[24] or in a manner contrary to the
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of
Genocide.[25] The UN
Human Rights Committee

Human Rights Committee interprets the Article as
"strongly suggest[ing] that abolition is desirable",[22] and regards
any progress towards abolition of the death penalty as advancing this
right.[22] The Second Optional Protocol commits its signatories to the
abolition of the death penalty within their borders.
Article 7 prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading
punishment.[26] As with Article 6, it cannot be derogated from under
any circumstances.[19] The article is now interpreted to impose
similar obligations to those required by the United Nations Convention
Against Torture, including not just prohibition of torture, but active
measures to prevent its use and a prohibition on refoulement.[27] In
response to
Nazi human experimentation

Nazi human experimentation during WW2 this article
explicitly includes a prohibition on medical and scientific
experimentation without consent.[26]
Article 8 prohibits slavery and enforced servitude in all
situations.[28] The article also prohibits forced labour, with
exceptions for criminal punishment, military service and civil
obligations.[29]
Liberty and security of person[edit]
Main article: Habeas corpus
Article 9 recognises the rights to liberty and security of the person.
It prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention, requires any deprivation
of liberty to be according to law,[30] and obliges parties to allow
those deprived of their liberty to challenge their imprisonment
through the courts.[31] These provisions apply not just to those
imprisoned as part of the criminal process, but also to those detained
due to mental illness, drug addiction, or for educational or
immigration purposes.[32]
Articles 9.3 and 9.4 impose procedural safeguards around arrest,
requiring anyone arrested to be promptly informed of the charges
against them, and to be brought promptly before a judge.[33] It also
restricts the use of pre-trial detention,[34] requiring that it not be
'the general rule'.[32]
Article 10 requires anyone deprived of liberty to be treated with
dignity and humanity.[35] This applies not just to prisoners, but also
to those detained for immigration purposes or psychiatric care.[36]
The right complements the Article 7 prohibition on torture and cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment.[36] The article also imposes specific
obligations around criminal justice, requiring prisoners in pretrial
detention to be separated from convicted prisoners, and children to be
separated from adults.[37] It requires prisons to be focused on reform
and rehabilitation rather than punishment.[38]
Article 11 prohibits the use of imprisonment as a punishment for
breach of contract.[39]
Procedural fairness and rights of the accused[edit]
Main articles:
Rights of the accused and Right to a fair trial
Article 14 recognizes and protects a right to justice and a fair
trial. Article 14.1 establishes the ground rules: everyone must be
equal before the courts, and any hearing must take place in open court
before a competent, independent and impartial tribunal, with any
judgment or ruling made public.[40] Closed hearings are only permitted
for reasons of privacy, justice, or national security, and judgments
may only be suppressed in divorce cases or to protect the interests of
children.[40] These obligations apply to both criminal and civil
hearings, and to all courts and tribunals.[41]
The rest of the article imposes specific and detailed obligations
around the process of criminal trials in order to protect the rights
of the accused and the right to a fair trial. It establishes the
Presumption of innocence[42] and forbids double jeopardy.[43] It
requires that those convicted of a crime be allowed to appeal to a
higher tribunal,[44] and requires victims of a Miscarriage of justice
to be compensated.[45] It establishes rights to a speedy trial, to
counsel, against self-incrimination, and for the accused to be present
and call and examine witnesses.[46]
Article 15 prohibits prosecutions under
Ex post facto law and the
imposition of retrospective criminal penalties, and requires the
imposition of the lesser penalty where criminal sentences have changed
between the offence and conviction.[47] But except the criminal
according to general principles of law recognized by international
community.[48] (jus cogens)
Article 16 requires states to recognize everyone as a person before
the law.[49]
Individual liberties[edit]
Main articles: Freedom of movement, Freedom of religion, Freedom of
thought, Freedom of speech, Freedom of assembly, Freedom of
association, and Right of Return
Article 12 guarantees freedom of movement, including the right of
persons to choose their residence, to leave and return to a
country.[50] These rights apply to legal aliens as well as citizens of
a state,[51] and can be restricted only where necessary to protect
national security, public order or health, and the rights and freedoms
of others.[52] The article also recognises a right of people to enter
their own country; the Right of return.[53] The Human Rights Committee
interprets this right broadly as applying not just to citizens, but
also to those stripped of or denied their nationality.[51] They also
regard it as near-absolute; "there are few, if any, circumstances in
which deprivation of the right to enter one's own country could be
reasonable".[51]
Article 13 forbids the arbitrary expulsion of resident aliens and
requires such decisions to be able to be appealed and reviewed.[54]
Article 17 mandates the right of privacy.[55] This provision,
specifically article 17(1), protects private adult consensual sexual
activity, thereby nullifying prohibitions on homosexual behaviour,[56]
however, the wording of this covenant's marriage right (Article 23)
excludes the extrapolation of a same-sex marriage right from this
provision.[57] Article 17 also protects people against unlawful
attacks to their honor and reputation. Article 17 (2) grants the
protection of the Law against such attacks[55]
Article 18 mandates freedom of religion or belief.[58]
Article 19 mandates freedom of expression.[59]
Article 20 mandates sanctions against inciting hatred.[60]
Articles 21 and 22 mandate freedom of association. These provisions
guarantee the right to freedom of association, the right to trade
unions and also defines the International Labour Organisation.[61][62]
Article 23 mandates the right of marriage.[63] The wording of this
provision neither requires nor prohibits same-sex marriage.[64]
Article 24 mandates special protection, the right to a name, and the
right to a nationality for every child.[65]
Article 27 mandates the rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic
minority to enjoy their own culture, to profess their own religion,
and to use their own language.[66]
Political rights[edit]
Article 3 provides an accessory non-discrimination principle.
Accessory in the way that it cannot be used independently and can only
be relied upon in relation to another right protected by the ICCPR.
In contrast, Article 26 contains a revolutionary norm by providing an
autonomous equality principle which is not dependent upon another
right under the convention being infringed. This has the effect of
widening the scope of the non-discrimination principle beyond the
scope of ICCPR.
Optional protocols[edit]
There are two Optional Protocols to the Covenant. The First Optional
Protocol establishes an individual complaints mechanism, allowing
individuals to complain to the
Human Rights Committee

Human Rights Committee about violations
of the Covenant.[67] This has led to the creation of a complex
jurisprudence on the interpretation and implementation of the
Covenant. As of July 2013[update], the First Optional Protocol
has 116 parties.[68]
The Second Optional Protocol abolishes the death penalty; however,
countries were permitted to make a reservation allowing for use of
death penalty for the most serious crimes of a military nature,
committed during wartime.[69] As of December 2017[update], the
Second Optional Protocol had 85 parties.[70]
Reservations[edit]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June
2010)
A number of parties have made reservations and interpretative
declarations to their application of the Covenant.[71]
Argentina

Argentina will apply the fair trial rights guaranteed in its
constitution to the prosecution of those accused of violating the
general law of nations.[1]
Australia

Australia reserves the right to progressively implement the prison
standards of Article 10, to compensate for miscarriages of justice by
administrative means rather than through the courts, and interprets
the prohibition on racial incitement as being subject to the freedoms
of expression, association and assembly. It also declares that its
implementation will be effected at each level of its federal
system.[1]
Austria

Austria reserves the right to continue to exile members of the House
of Habsburg, and limits the rights of the accused and the right to a
fair trial to those already existing in its legal system.[1]
Bahamas, due to problems with implementation, reserves the right not
to compensate for miscarriages of justice.[1]
Bahrain

Bahrain interprets Articles 3 (no sexual discrimination), 18 (freedom
of religion) and 23 (family rights) within the context of Islamic
Sharia law.[1]
Bangladesh

Bangladesh reserves the right to try people in absentia where they are
fugitives from justice and declares that resource constraints mean
that it cannot necessarily segregate prisons or provide counsel for
accused persons.[1]
Barbados

Barbados reserves the right not to provide free counsel for accused
persons due to resource constraints.[1]
Belgium
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Belgium interprets the freedoms of speech, assembly and association in
a manner consistent with the European Convention on Human Rights. It
does not consider itself obliged to ban war propaganda as required by
Article 20, and interprets that article in light of the freedom of
expression in the UDHR.[1]
Belize

Belize reserves the right not to compensate for miscarriages of
justice, due to problems with implementation, and does not plan to
provide free legal counsel for the same reasons as above. It also
refuses to ensure the right to free travel at any time, due to a law
requiring those travelling abroad to provide tax clearance
certificates.[1]
Congo, as per the Congolese Code of Civil, Commercial, Administrative
and Financial Procedure, in matters of private law, decisions or
orders emanating from conciliation proceedings may be enforced through
imprisonment for debt.[1]
Denmark

Denmark reserves the right to exclude the press and the public from
trials as per its own laws. Reservation is further made to Article 20,
paragraph 1. This reservation is in accordance with the vote cast by
Denmark

Denmark in the XVI General Assembly of the United Nations in 1961 when
the Danish Delegation, referring to the preceding article concerning
freedom of expression, voted against the prohibition against
propaganda for war.[1]
The Gambia, as per its constitution, will provide free legal
assistance for accused persons charged with capital offences only.[1]
Pakistan, has made several reservations to the articles in the
Convention; "the provisions of Articles 3, 6, 7, 18 and 19 shall be so
applied to the extent that they are not repugnant to the Provisions of
the Constitution of
Pakistan

Pakistan and the Sharia laws", "the provisions of
Article 12 shall be so applied as to be in conformity with the
Provisions of the Constitution of Pakistan", "With respect to Article
13, the Government of the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan

Pakistan reserves its
right to apply its law relating to foreigners", "the provisions of
Article 25 shall be so applied to the extent that they are not
repugnant to the Provisions of the Constitution of Pakistan" and the
Government of the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan

Pakistan "does not recognize the
competence of the Committee provided for in Article 40 of the
Covenant".
The
United States

United States has made reservations that none of the articles
should restrict the right of free speech and association; that the US
government may impose capital punishment on any person other than a
pregnant woman, including persons below the age of 18; that "cruel,
inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment" refers to those
treatments or punishments prohibited by one or more of the fifth,
eighth, and fourteenth amendments to the US Constitution; that
Paragraph 1, Article 15 will not apply; and that, notwithstanding
paragraphs 2(b) and 3 of Article 10 and paragraph 4 of Article 14, the
US government may treat juveniles as adults, and accept volunteers to
the military prior to the age of 18. The
United States

United States also submitted
five "understandings", and four "declarations".[72]
Implementation and effects[edit]
The
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights has 167
states parties, 67 by signature and ratification, and the remainder by
accession or succession. Another five states have signed but have yet
to ratify the treaty.[1]
Australia[edit]
The Covenant is not directly enforceable in Australia, but its
provisions support a number of domestic laws, which confer enforceable
rights on individuals. For example, Article 17 of the Convention has
been implemented by the Australian Privacy Act 1988. Likewise, the
Covenant’s equality and anti-discrimination provisions support the
federal Disability Discrimination Act 1992. Finally, the Covenant is
one of the major sources of 'human rights' listed in the Human Rights
(Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011.[73] This law requires most new
legislation and administrative instruments (such as
delegated/subordinate legislation) to be tabled in parliament with a
statement outlining the proposed law's compatibility with the listed
human rights[74] A Joint Committee on Human Rights scrutinises all new
legislation and statements of compatibility.[75] The findings of the
Joint Committee are not legally binding.
Legislation also establishes the Australian Human Rights
Commission[76] which allows the Australian Human Rights Commission
(AHRC) to examine enacted legislation[77] (to suggest remedial
enactments[78]), its administration[79] (to suggest avoidance of
practices[80]) and general compliance[81] with the covenant which is
schedule to the AHRC legislation.[82]
In Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory, the Convention can
be used by a plaintiff or defendant who invokes those jurisdiction's
human rights charters.[83] While the Convention cannot be used to
overturn a Victorian or ACT law, a Court can issue a 'declaration of
incompatibility' that requires the relevant Attorney-General to
respond in Parliament within a set time period.[85] Courts in Victoria
and the ACT are also directed by the legislation to interpret the law
in a way to give effect to a human right,[84] and new legislation and
subordinate legislation must be accompanied by a statement of
compatibility.[86] Efforts to implement a similar Charter at the
national level have been frustrated and Australia's Constitution may
prevent conferring the 'declaration' power on federal judges.[87]
Ireland[edit]
Ireland's use of
Special

Special Criminal Courts where juries are replaced by
judges and other special procedures apply has been found to not
violate the treaty: "In the Committee's view, trial before courts
other than the ordinary courts is not necessarily, per se, a violation
of the entitlement to a fair hearing and the facts of the present case
do not show that there has been such a violation."[88]
New Zealand[edit]
New Zealand

New Zealand took measures to give effect to many of the rights
contained within it by passing the
New Zealand Bill of Rights Act

New Zealand Bill of Rights Act in
1990, and formally incorporated the status of protected person into
law through the passing of the Immigration Act 2009.[89]
United States[edit]
Reservations, understandings, and declarations[edit]
The
United States Senate

United States Senate ratified the ICCPR in 1992, with five
reservations, five understandings, and four declarations.[90] Some
have noted that with so many reservations, its implementation has
little domestic effect.[91] Included in the Senate's ratification was
the declaration that "the provisions of Article 1 through 27 of the
Covenant are not self-executing",[92] and in a Senate Executive Report
stated that the declaration was meant to "clarify that the Covenant
will not create a private cause of action in U.S. Courts."[93]
However, "expressed declarations" do not affect treaties [Igartua-De
Le Rosa v. US, 417 F.3d 145, 190-191 (1st Cir. 2005)] Fleming v US
(15-8425) establishes the ICCPR treaty IS SELF-Executing by legal
definition of a self-executing treaty, US reports to UN, DOJ and US
Ambassador Hamamoto.
Where a treaty or covenant is not self-executing, and where Congress
has not acted to implement the agreement with legislation, no private
right of action within the US judicial system is created by
ratification.[94] However, the US Federal Government has held that the
ICCPR treaty was only ratified "after" it was determined that all the
necessary legislation was in place to provide for domestic effect of
law, thereby making the ICCPR treaty self-executing by definition. See
all four reports by US to UN regarding the ICCPR treaty. It is also
important to emphasize that the "self-executing" statement was a
declaration and the Courts have held that declarations have no effect
upon treaty law and the rights of citizens.[citation needed]
As a reservation that is "incompatible with the object and purpose" of
a treaty is void as a matter of the Vienna Convention on the Law of
Treaties and international law,[95] there is some issue as to whether
the non-self-execution declaration is even legal under domestic
law.[96]
Prominent critics in the human rights community, such as Prof. Louis
Henkin[97] (non-self-execution declaration incompatible with the
Supremacy Clause) and Prof.
Jordan

Jordan Paust[98] ("Rarely has a treaty
been so abused") have denounced the United States' ratification
subject to the non-self-execution declaration as a blatant fraud upon
the international community, especially in light of its subsequent
failure to conform domestic law to the minimum human rights standards
as established in the Covenant and in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights over the last thirty years.
Constitutionality[edit]
It has been argued that Article 20(2) of the ICCPR, as well as Article
4 of the ICERD, may be unconstitutional according to Supreme Court
precedent, which is the reason behind the Senate reservations.[99]
Non-compliance[edit]
In 1994, the United Nations'
Human Rights Committee

Human Rights Committee expressed concerns
with compliance:[100]
Of particular concern are widely formulated reservations which
essentially render ineffective all Covenant rights which would require
any change in national law to ensure compliance with Covenant
obligations. No real international rights or obligations have thus
been accepted. And when there is an absence of provisions to ensure
that Covenant rights may be sued on in domestic courts, and, further,
a failure to allow individual complaints to be brought to the
Committee under the first Optional Protocol, all the essential
elements of the Covenant guarantees have been removed.
Indeed, the
United States

United States has not accepted a single international
obligation required under the Covenant. It has not changed its
domestic law to conform with the strictures of the Covenant.[101] Its
citizens are not permitted to sue to enforce their basic human rights
under the Covenant.[101] It has not ratified the Optional Protocol to
the Convention against
Torture

Torture (OPCAT). As such, the Covenant has been
rendered ineffective, with the bone of contention being United States
officials' insistence upon preserving a vast web of sovereign,
judicial, prosecutorial, and executive branch immunities that often
deprives its citizens of the "effective remedy" under law the Covenant
is intended to guarantee.
In 2006, the
Human Rights Committee

Human Rights Committee expressed concern over what it
interprets as material non-compliance, exhorting the
United States

United States to
take immediate corrective action:[102]
The Committee notes with concern the restrictive interpretation made
by the State party of its obligations under the Covenant, as a result
in particular of (a) its position that the Covenant does not apply
with respect to individuals under its jurisdiction but outside its
territory, nor in time of war, despite the contrary opinions and
established jurisprudence of the Committee and the International Court
of Justice; (b) its failure to take fully into consideration its
obligation under the Covenant not only to respect, but also to ensure
the rights prescribed by the Covenant; and (c) its restrictive
approach to some substantive provisions of the Covenant, which is not
in conformity with the interpretation made by the Committee before and
after the State party’s ratification of the Covenant.
The State party should review its approach and interpret the Covenant
in good faith, in accordance with the ordinary meaning to be given to
its terms in their context, including subsequent practice, and in the
light of its object and purpose. The State party should in particular
(a) acknowledge the applicability of the Covenant with respect to
individuals under its jurisdiction but outside its territory, as well
as its applicability in time of war; (b) take positive steps, when
necessary, to ensure the full implementation of all rights prescribed
by the Covenant; and (c) consider in good faith the interpretation of
the Covenant provided by the Committee pursuant to its mandate.
As of February 2013[update], the
United States

United States is among States
scheduled for examination in the 107th (11–28 March 2013) and 109th
(14 October – 1 November 2013) sessions of the
Committee.[103][needs update]
Parties to the Covenant[edit]
There are a total of 170 parties to the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights.[104]
State party
Signed
Ratified or acceded
Entry into force
Afghanistan
—
000000001983-01-24-000024 January 1983
000000001983-04-24-000024 April 1983
Albania
—
000000001991-10-04-00004 October 1991
000000001992-01-04-00004 January 1992
Algeria
000000001968-12-10-000010 December 1968
000000001989-09-12-000012 September 1989
000000001989-12-12-000012 December 1989
Andorra
000000002002-08-05-00005 August 2002
000000002006-09-22-000022 September 2006
000000002006-12-22-000022 December 2006
Angola
—
000000001992-01-10-000010 January 1992
000000001992-04-10-000010 April 1992
Argentina
000000001968-02-18-000018 February 1968
000000001986-08-08-00008 August 1986
000000001986-11-08-00008 November 1986
Armenia
—
000000001993-06-23-000023 June 1993
000000001993-09-23-000023 September 1993
Australia
000000001972-12-18-000018 December 1972
000000001980-08-13-000013 August 1980
000000001980-11-13-000013 November 1980
Austria
000000001973-12-10-000010 December 1973
000000001978-09-10-000010 September 1978
000000001978-12-10-000010 December 1978
Azerbaijan
—
000000001992-08-13-000013 August 1992
000000001992-11-13-000013 November 1992
Bahamas, The
000000002008-12-04-00004 December 2008
000000002008-12-23-000023 December 2008
000000002009-03-23-000023 March 2009
Bahrain
—
000000002006-09-20-000020 September 2006
000000002006-12-20-000020 December 2006
Bangladesh
—
000000002000-09-06-00006 September 2000
000000002000-12-06-00006 December 2000
Barbados
—
000000001973-01-05-00005 January 1973
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Belarus
000000001968-03-19-000019 March 1968
000000001973-11-12-000012 November 1973
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Belgium
000000001968-12-10-000010 December 1968
000000001983-04-12-000012 April 1983
000000001983-07-12-000012 July 1983
Belize
—
000000001996-06-10-000010 June 1996
000000001996-09-10-000010 September 1996
Benin
—
000000001992-03-12-000012 March 1992
000000001992-06-12-000012 June 1992
Bolivia
—
000000001982-08-12-000012 August 1982
000000001982-11-12-000012 November 1982
Bosnia and Herzegovina[A]
—
000000001993-09-01-00001 September 1993
000000001992-03-06-00006 March 1992
Botswana
000000002000-09-08-00008 September 2000
000000002000-09-08-00008 September 2000
000000002000-12-08-00008 December 2000
Brazil
—
000000001992-01-24-000024 January 1992
000000001992-04-24-000024 April 1992
Bulgaria
000000001968-10-08-00008 October 1968
000000001970-09-21-000021 September 1970
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Burkina Faso
—
000000001999-01-04-00004 January 1999
000000001999-04-04-00004 April 1999
Burundi
—
000000001990-05-08-00008 May 1990
000000001990-08-08-00008 August 1990
Cambodia[B]
000000001980-10-17-000017 October 1980
000000001992-05-26-000026 May 1992
000000001992-08-26-000026 August 1992
Cameroon
—
000000001984-01-27-000027 January 1984
000000001984-04-27-000027 April 1984
Canada
—
000000001976-05-19-000019 May 1976
000000001976-08-19-000019 August 1976
Cape Verde
—
000000001993-08-06-00006 August 1993
000000001993-11-06-00006 November 1993
Central African Republic
—
000000001981-05-08-00008 May 1981
000000001981-08-08-00008 August 1981
Chad
—
000000001995-06-09-00009 June 1995
000000001995-09-09-00009 September 1995
Chile
000000001969-09-16-000016 September 1969
000000001972-02-10-000010 February 1972
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Colombia
000000001966-12-21-000021 December 1966
000000001969-10-29-000029 October 1969
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
—
000000001976-11-01-00001 November 1976
000000001977-02-01-00001 February 1977
Congo, Republic of the
—
000000001983-10-05-00005 October 1983
000000001984-01-05-00005 January 1984
Costa Rica
000000001966-12-19-000019 December 1966
000000001968-11-29-000029 November 1968
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Cote d'Ivoire ! Côte d'Ivoire
—
000000001992-03-26-000026 March 1992
000000001992-06-26-000026 June 1992
Croatia[A]
—
000000001992-10-12-000012 October 1992
000000001993-01-12-000012 January 1993
Cyprus
000000001966-12-19-000019 December 1966
000000001969-04-02-00002 April 1969
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Czech Republic[C]
—
000000001993-02-22-000022 February 1993
000000001993-01-01-00001 January 1993
Denmark
000000001968-03-20-000020 March 1968
000000001972-01-06-00006 January 1972
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Djibouti
—
000000002002-11-05-00005 November 2002
000000002003-02-05-00005 February 2003
Dominica
—
000000001993-06-17-000017 June 1993
000000001993-09-17-000017 September 1993
Dominican Republic
—
000000001978-01-04-00004 January 1978
000000001978-04-04-00004 April 1978
East Timor
—
000000002003-09-18-000018 September 2003
000000002003-12-18-000018 December 2003
Ecuador
000000001968-04-04-00004 April 1968
000000001969-03-06-00006 March 1969
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Egypt
000000001967-08-04-00004 August 1967
000000001982-01-14-000014 January 1982
000000001982-04-14-000014 April 1982
El Salvador
000000001967-09-21-000021 September 1967
000000001979-11-30-000030 November 1979
000000001980-02-29-000029 February 1980
Equatorial Guinea
—
000000001987-09-25-000025 September 1987
000000001987-12-25-000025 December 1987
Eritrea
—
000000002002-01-22-000022 January 2002
000000002002-04-22-000022 April 2002
Estonia
—
000000001991-10-21-000021 October 1991
000000001992-01-21-000021 January 1992
Ethiopia
—
000000001993-06-11-000011 June 1993
000000001993-09-11-000011 September 1993
Finland
000000001967-10-11-000011 October 1967
000000001975-08-19-000019 August 1975
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
France
—
000000001980-11-04-00004 November 1980
000000001981-02-04-00004 February 1981
Gabon
—
000000001983-01-21-000021 January 1983
000000001983-04-21-000021 April 1983
Gambia, The
—
000000001979-03-22-000022 March 1979
000000001979-06-22-000022 June 1979
Georgia
—
000000001994-05-03-00003 May 1994
000000001994-08-03-00003 August 1994
Germany[D]
000000001968-10-09-00009 October 1968
000000001973-12-17-000017 December 1973
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Ghana
000000002000-09-07-00007 September 2000
000000002000-09-07-00007 September 2000
000000002000-12-07-00007 December 2000
Greece
—
000000001997-05-05-00005 May 1997
000000001997-08-05-00005 August 1997
Grenada
—
000000001991-09-06-00006 September 1991
000000001991-12-06-00006 December 1991
Guatemala
—
000000001992-05-05-00005 May 1992
000000001992-08-05-00005 August 1992
Guinea
000000001967-02-28-000028 February 1967
000000001978-01-24-000024 January 1978
000000001978-04-24-000024 April 1978
Guinea-Bissau
000000002000-09-12-000012 September 2000
000000002010-11-01-00001 November 2010
000000002011-02-01-00001 February 2011
Guyana
000000001968-08-22-000022 August 1968
000000001977-02-15-000015 February 1977
000000001977-05-15-000015 May 1977
Haiti
—
000000001991-02-06-00006 February 1991
000000001991-05-06-00006 May 1991
Honduras
000000001966-12-19-000019 December 1966
000000001997-08-25-000025 August 1997
000000001997-11-25-000025 November 1997
Hungary
000000001969-03-25-000025 March 1969
000000001974-01-17-000017 January 1974
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Iceland
000000001968-12-30-000030 December 1968
000000001979-08-22-000022 August 1979
000000001979-11-22-000022 November 1979
India
—
000000001979-04-10-000010 April 1979
000000001979-07-10-000010 July 1979
Indonesia
—
000000002006-02-23-000023 February 2006
000000002006-05-23-000023 May 2006
Iran
000000001968-04-04-00004 April 1968
000000001975-06-24-000024 June 1975
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Iraq
000000001969-02-18-000018 February 1969
000000001971-01-25-000025 January 1971
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Ireland
000000001973-10-01-00001 October 1973
000000001989-12-08-00008 December 1989
000000001990-03-08-00008 March 1990
Israel
000000001966-12-19-000019 December 1966
000000001991-10-03-00003 October 1991
000000001992-01-03-00003 January 1992
Italy
000000001967-01-18-000018 January 1967
000000001978-09-15-000015 September 1978
000000001978-12-15-000015 December 1978
Jamaica
000000001966-12-19-000019 December 1966
000000001975-10-03-00003 October 1975
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Japan
000000001978-05-30-000030 May 1978
000000001979-06-21-000021 June 1979
000000001979-09-21-000021 September 1979
Jordan
000000001972-06-30-000030 June 1972
000000001975-05-28-000028 May 1975
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Kazakhstan
000000002003-12-02-00002 December 2003
000000002006-01-24-000024 January 2006
000000002006-04-24-000024 April 2006
Kenya
—
000000001972-05-01-00001 May 1972
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Korea, North[E]
—
000000001981-09-14-000014 September 1981
000000001981-12-14-000014 December 1981
Korea, South
—
000000001990-04-10-000010 April 1990
000000001990-07-10-000010 July 1990
Kuwait
—
000000001996-05-21-000021 May 1996
000000001996-08-21-000021 August 1996
Kyrgyzstan
—
000000001994-10-07-00007 October 1994
000000001995-01-07-00007 January 1995
Laos
000000002000-12-07-00007 December 2000
000000002009-09-25-000025 September 2009
000000002009-12-25-000025 December 2009
Latvia
—
000000001992-04-14-000014 April 1992
000000001992-07-14-000014 July 1992
Lebanon
—
000000001972-11-03-00003 November 1972
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Lesotho
—
000000001992-09-09-00009 September 1992
000000001992-12-09-00009 December 1992
Liberia
000000001967-04-18-000018 April 1967
000000002004-09-22-000022 September 2004
000000002004-12-22-000022 December 2004
Libya
—
000000001970-05-15-000015 May 1970
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Liechtenstein
—
000000001998-12-10-000010 December 1998
000000001999-03-10-000010 March 1999
Lithuania
—
000000001991-11-20-000020 November 1991
000000001992-02-10-000010 February 1992
Luxembourg
000000001974-11-26-000026 November 1974
000000001983-08-18-000018 August 1983
000000001983-11-18-000018 November 1983
Macedonia, Republic of[A]
—
000000001994-01-18-000018 January 1994
000000001991-09-17-000017 September 1991
Madagascar
000000001969-09-17-000017 September 1969
000000001971-06-21-000021 June 1971
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Malawi
—
000000001993-12-22-000022 December 1993
000000001994-03-22-000022 March 1994
Maldives
—
000000002006-09-19-000019 September 2006
000000002006-12-19-000019 December 2006
Mali
—
000000001974-07-16-000016 July 1974
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Malta
—
000000001990-09-13-000013 September 1990
000000001990-12-13-000013 December 1990
Marshall Islands
—
000000002018-03-12-000012 March 2018
000000002018-06-12-000012 June 2018
Mauritania
—
000000002004-11-17-000017 November 2004
000000002005-02-17-000017 February 2005
Mauritius
—
000000001973-12-12-000012 December 1973
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Mexico
—
000000001981-03-23-000023 March 1981
000000001981-06-23-000023 June 1981
Moldova
—
000000001993-01-26-000026 January 1993
000000001993-04-26-000026 April 1993
Monaco
000000001997-06-26-000026 June 1997
000000001997-08-28-000028 August 1997
000000001997-11-28-000028 November 1997
Mongolia
000000001968-06-05-00005 June 1968
000000001974-11-18-000018 November 1974
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Montenegro[A]
—
000000002006-10-23-000023 October 2006
000000002006-06-03-00003 June 2006
Morocco
000000001977-01-19-000019 January 1977
000000001979-05-03-00003 May 1979
000000001979-08-03-00003 August 1979
Mozambique
—
000000001993-07-21-000021 July 1993
000000001993-10-21-000021 October 1993
Namibia
—
000000001994-11-28-000028 November 1994
000000001995-02-28-000028 February 1995
Nepal
—
000000001991-05-14-000014 May 1991
000000001991-08-14-000014 August 1991
Netherlands
000000001969-06-25-000025 June 1969
000000001978-12-11-000011 December 1978
000000001979-03-11-000011 March 1979
New Zealand
000000001968-11-12-000012 November 1968
000000001978-12-28-000028 December 1978
000000001979-03-28-000028 March 1979
Nicaragua
—
000000001980-03-12-000012 March 1980
000000001980-06-12-000012 June 1980
Niger
—
000000001986-03-07-00007 March 1986
000000001986-06-07-00007 June 1986
Nigeria
—
000000001993-07-29-000029 July 1993
000000001993-10-29-000029 October 1993
Norway
000000001968-03-20-000020 March 1968
000000001972-09-13-000013 September 1972
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Pakistan
000000002008-04-17-000017 April 2008
000000002010-06-23-000023 June 2010
000000002010-09-23-000023 September 2010
Palestine
—
000000002014-04-02-00002 April 2014
000000002014-07-02-00002 July 2014
Panama
000000001976-07-27-000027 July 1976
000000001977-03-08-00008 March 1977
000000001977-06-08-00008 June 1977
Papua New Guinea
—
000000002008-07-21-000021 July 2008
000000002008-10-21-000021 October 2008
Paraguay
—
000000001992-06-10-000010 June 1992
000000001992-09-10-000010 September 1992
Peru
000000001977-08-11-000011 August 1977
000000001978-04-28-000028 April 1978
000000001978-07-28-000028 July 1978
Philippines
000000001966-12-19-000019 December 1966
000000001986-10-23-000023 October 1986
000000001987-01-23-000023 January 1987
Poland
000000001967-03-02-00002 March 1967
000000001977-03-18-000018 March 1977
000000001977-06-18-000018 June 1977
Portugal[F]
000000001976-10-07-00007 October 1976
000000001978-06-15-000015 June 1978
000000001978-09-15-000015 September 1978
Romania
000000001968-06-27-000027 June 1968
000000001974-12-09-00009 December 1974
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Russia
000000001968-03-18-000018 March 1968
000000001973-10-16-000016 October 1973
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Rwanda
—
000000001975-04-16-000016 April 1975
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
—
000000001981-11-09-00009 November 1981
000000001981-02-09-00009 February 1981
Samoa
—
000000002008-02-15-000015 February 2008
000000002008-05-15-000015 May 2008
San Marino
—
000000001985-10-18-000018 October 1985
000000001986-01-18-000018 January 1986
Sao Tome and Principe ! São Tomé and Príncipe
000000001995-10-31-000031 October 1995
000000002017-01-10-000010 January 2017
000000002017-04-10-000010 April 2017
Senegal
000000001970-07-06-00006 July 1970
000000001978-02-13-000013 February 1978
000000001978-05-13-000013 May 1978
Serbia[A]
—
000000002001-03-12-000012 March 2001
000000001992-04-27-000027 April 1992
Seychelles
—
000000001992-05-05-00005 May 1992
000000001992-08-05-00005 August 1992
Sierra Leone
—
000000001996-08-23-000023 August 1996
000000001996-11-23-000023 November 1996
Slovakia[C]
—
000000001993-05-28-000028 May 1993
000000001993-01-01-00001 January 1993
Slovenia[A]
—
000000001992-07-06-00006 July 1992
000000001992-10-06-00006 October 1992
Somalia
—
000000001990-01-24-000024 January 1990
000000001990-04-24-000024 April 1990
South Africa
000000001994-10-03-00003 October 1994
000000001998-12-10-000010 December 1998
000000001999-03-10-000010 March 1999
Spain
000000001976-09-28-000028 September 1976
000000001977-04-27-000027 April 1977
000000001977-07-27-000027 July 1977
Sri Lanka
—
000000001980-06-11-000011 June 1980
000000001980-09-11-000011 September 1980
Sudan
—
000000001986-03-18-000018 March 1986
000000001986-06-18-000018 June 1986
Suriname
—
000000001976-12-28-000028 December 1976
000000001977-03-28-000028 March 1977
Swaziland
—
000000002004-03-26-000026 March 2004
000000002004-06-26-000026 June 2004
Sweden
000000001967-09-29-000029 September 1967
000000001971-12-06-00006 December 1971
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Switzerland
—
000000001992-06-18-000018 June 1992
000000001992-09-18-000018 September 1992
Syria
—
000000001969-04-21-000021 April 1969
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Tajikistan
—
000000001999-01-04-00004 January 1999
000000001999-04-04-00004 April 1999
Tanzania
—
000000001976-06-11-000011 June 1976
000000001976-09-11-000011 September 1976
Thailand
—
000000001996-10-29-000029 October 1996
000000001997-01-29-000029 January 1997
Togo
—
000000001984-05-24-000024 May 1984
000000001984-08-24-000024 August 1984
Trinidad and Tobago
—
000000001978-12-21-000021 December 1978
000000001979-03-21-000021 March 1979
Tunisia
000000001968-04-30-000030 April 1968
000000001969-03-18-000018 March 1969
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Turkey
000000002000-08-15-000015 August 2000
000000002003-09-23-000023 September 2003
000000002003-12-23-000023 December 2003
Turkmenistan
—
000000001997-05-01-00001 May 1997
000000001997-08-01-00001 August 1997
Uganda
—
000000001995-06-21-000021 June 1995
000000001995-09-21-000021 September 1995
Ukraine
000000001968-03-20-000020 March 1968
000000001973-11-12-000012 November 1973
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
United Kingdom[G]
000000001968-09-16-000016 September 1968
000000001976-05-20-000020 May 1976
000000001976-08-20-000020 August 1976
United States
000000001977-10-05-00005 October 1977
000000001992-06-08-00008 June 1992
000000001992-09-08-00008 September 1992
Uruguay
000000001967-02-21-000021 February 1967
000000001967-05-21-000021 May 1967
000000001976-03-23-000023 March 1976
Uzbekistan
—
000000001995-09-28-000028 September 1995
000000001995-12-28-000028 December 1995
Vanuatu
000000002007-11-29-000029 November 2007
000000002008-11-21-000021 November 2008
000000002009-02-21-000021 February 2009
Venezuela
000000001969-06-24-000024 June 1969
000000001978-05-10-000010 May 1978
000000001978-08-10-000010 August 1978
Vietnam
—
000000001982-09-24-000024 September 1982
000000001982-12-24-000024 December 1982
Yemen
—
000000001987-02-09-00009 February 1987
000000001987-05-09-00009 May 1987
Zambia
—
000000001984-04-10-000010 April 1984
000000001984-07-10-000010 July 1984
Zimbabwe
—
000000001991-05-13-000013 May 1991
000000001991-08-13-000013 August 1991
States not party to the Covenant[edit]
Most states in the world are parties to the ICCPR. The following 27
states have not become party to it, but six states have signed the
Covenant but not ratified it.[104]
Signatories that have not ratified[edit]
State
Signed
China[F][G][H]
000000001998-10-05-00005 October 1998
Comoros
000000002008-09-25-000025 September 2008
Cuba
000000002008-02-28-000028 February 2008
Nauru
000000002001-11-12-000012 November 2001
Palau
000000002011-09-20-000020 September 2011
Saint Lucia
000000002011-09-22-000022 September 2011
States which are neither signatories nor parties[edit]
Antigua and Barbuda
Bhutan
Brunei
Cook Islands
Fiji
Kiribati
Malaysia
Micronesia
Niue
Myanmar
Oman
Qatar
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Solomon Islands
South Sudan
Tonga
Tuvalu
United Arab Emirates
Vatican City
See also[edit]
United Nations Human Rights Committee
United Nations Human Rights Council
United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories
United Nations General Assembly

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 66 (I)
United Nations General Assembly

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV)
United Nations General Assembly

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1541 (XV)
United Nations General Assembly

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1654 (XVI)
Notes[edit]
^ a b c d e f Yugoslavia signed the Covenant on 8 August 1967
and ratified it on 2 June 1971; it entered into force for Yugoslavia
on 23 March 1976. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, the following
states located in the former Yugoslavia made declarations regarding
that status of the Covenant with regard to themselves:
Bosnia and Herzegovina – On 1 September 1993, it declared
that the Covenant was in force for it since 6 March 1992.
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia – On 12 March 2001, it
declared that the Covenant was in force for it since 27 April 1992. On
4 February 2003, the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia changed its name
to
Serbia

Serbia and Montenegro, and on 3 June 2006
Serbia

Serbia succeeded
Serbia

Serbia and Montenegro. Therefore, for Serbia, the Covenant has been in
force since 27 April 1992.
Republic of Macedonia – On 18 January 1994, it declared
that the Covenant was in force for it since 17 September 1991.
Montenegro – On 23 October 2006, it declared that the
Covenant was in force for it since 3 June 2006.
^ Although
Cambodia

Cambodia signed the Covenant when it was known as
Democratic Kampuchea, it filed an instrument of accession, not
ratification, on 26 May 1992.
^ a b
Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia signed the Covenant on 7 October 1968 and
ratified it on 23 December 1975; it entered into force for
Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia on 23 March 1976. Following the dissolution of
Czechoslovakia, the
Czech Republic

Czech Republic declared on 22 February 1993
that the Covenant was in force for it since 1 January 1993 and
Slovakia

Slovakia declared on 28 May 1993 that the Covenant was also in
force for it since 1 January 1993.
^ East
Germany

Germany signed the Covenant on 23 March 1973 and ratified
it on 8 November 1973; it entered into force for East
Germany

Germany on 23
March 1976. Following the reunification of
Germany

Germany on 3 October 1990,
East
Germany

Germany ceased to exist.
^ On 25 August 1997,
North Korea

North Korea notified the Secretary-General of the
United Nations that it was withdrawing from the Covenant. However, the
Secretary-General still considers
North Korea

North Korea a state party to the
Covenant because the Covenant does not allow for withdrawal and
therefore withdrawal would only be possible if all other states
parties allowed it, which has not occurred.
^ a b
Portugal

Portugal extended the territorial application of the Covenant to
Macau

Macau on 27 April 1993. On 3 December 1999,
China
.png/600px-Location_of_Xiahe_within_Gansu_(China).png)
China notified the
Secretary-General of the United Nations

Secretary-General of the United Nations that the Covenant would still
be in force for
Macau

Macau following the transfer of sovereignty on 20
December 1999.
^ a b Both
China
.png/600px-Location_of_Xiahe_within_Gansu_(China).png)
China and the
United Kingdom

United Kingdom notified the Secretary-General
that the Covenant would continue to remain in force for
Hong Kong

Hong Kong upon
transfer of sovereignty on 1 July 1997.
^
Taiwan

Taiwan (the Republic of China) lost its United Nations
membership on 25 October 1971; the Republic of
China
.png/600px-Location_of_Xiahe_within_Gansu_(China).png)
China signed the
Covenant on 5 October 1967 but did not ratify it.
References[edit]
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "OHCHR Dashboard". Status of
ratification
^
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights
^ a b c "Fact Sheet No.2 (Rev.1), The International Bill of Human
Rights". UN OHCHR. June 1996. Archived from the original on 13 March
2008. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
^ Christopher N.J.Roberts. "William H. Fitzpatrick's Editorials on
Human Rights (1949)". Quellen zur Geschichte der Menschenrechte.
Retrieved November 4, 2017.
^ International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Part I,
Article 1, paragraph 3.
^ Sieghart, Paul (1983). The International Law of Human Rights. Oxford
University Press. p. 25.
^ a b
United Nations General Assembly

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 543, 5 February 1952.
^
United Nations General Assembly

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 545, 5 February 1952.
^
United Nations General Assembly

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2200, 16 December 1966.
^ Christopher N.J.Roberts. "William H. Fitzpatrick's Editorials on
Human Rights (1949)". Quellen zur Geschichte der Menschenrechte.
Retrieved November 4, 2017.
^ The following section summarises the text of the Covenant.
^ ICCPR, Article 1.1.
^ ICCPR, Article 1.2.
^ ICCPR, Article 1.3.
^ ICCPR, Article 2.2, 2.3.
^ ICCPR, Article 2.1.
^ ICCPR, Article 3.
^ ICCPR, Article 4.1.
^ a b ICCPR, Article 4.2.
^ ICCPR, Article 47.
^ ICCPR, Article 6.1.
^ a b c d "CCPR General Comment No. 6: The right to life". UN OHCHR.
30 April 1982. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
^ ICCPR, Article 6.2.
^ ICCPR, Article 6.5.
^ ICCPR, Article 6.3.
^ a b ICCPR, Article 7.
^ "CCPR General Comment No. 20: Replaces general comment 7 concerning
prohibition of torture and cruel treatment or punishment". UN OHCHR.
10 March 1992. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
^ ICCPR, Articles 8.1, 8.2.
^ ICCPR, Article 8.3.
^ ICCPR, Article 9.1.
^ ICCPR, Article 9.4.
^ a b "CCPR General Comment No. 08: Right to liberty and security of
persons". UN OHCHR. 30 June 1982. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
^ ICCPR, Articles 9.2, 9.3.
^ ICCPR, Article 9.3.
^ ICCPR, Article 10.1.
^ a b "General Comment No. 21: Replaces general comment 9 concerning
humane treatment of persons deprived of liberty". UN OHCHR. 10 April
1992. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
^ ICCPR, Article 10.2.
^ ICCPR, Article 10.3.
^ ICCPR, Article 11.
^ a b ICCPR, Article 14.1.
^ "General Comment No. 13: Equality before the courts and the right to
a fair and public hearing by an independent court established by law".
UN OHCHR. 13 April 1984. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
^ ICCPR, Article 14.2.
^ ICCPR, Article 14.7.
^ ICCPR, Article 14.5.
^ ICCPR, Article 14.6.
^ ICCPR, Article 14.3.
^ ICCPR, Article 15.
^ ICCPR, Article 15.2.
^ ICCPR, Article 16.
^ ICCPR, Article 12
^ a b c "CCPR: General Comment No. 27: Freedom of movement". UN OHCHR.
2 November 1999. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
^ ICCPR, Article 12.3.
^ ICCPR, Article 12.4.
^ ICCPR, Article 13.
^ a b ICCPR, Article 17.
^ "Toonen v
Australia

Australia Communication No. 488/1992 (1994) U.N. Doc
CCPR/C/50/D/488/1992 at [8.1–8.6]".
^ "Joslin v
New Zealand

New Zealand (2002) Comm. No. 902/1999 U.N. Doc. A/57/40 at
214 (2002) at [Appendix (My Lallah & Mr Scheinen)]".
^ ICCPR, Article 18.
^ ICCPR, Article 19.
^ ICCPR, Article 20.
^ ICCPR, Article 21.
^ ICCPR, Article 22.
^ ICCPR, Article 23.
^ Joslin v
New Zealand

New Zealand (2002) Comm. No. 902/1999 U.N. Doc. A/57/40 at
214 (2002) at [8.2–9.0(majority)] & [1(Lallah & Scheinen JJ]
"Joslin v
New Zealand

New Zealand (2002) Comm. No. 902/1999 U.N. Doc. A/57/40 at
214 (2002)".
^ ICCPR, Article 24.
^ ICCPR, Ariticle 27.
^ OP1-ICCPR, Article 1.
^ "UN
Treaty

Treaty Collection: Optional Protocol to the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights". United Nations. Retrieved
2011-10-14.
^ OP2-ICCPR, Article 2.1
^ "UN
Treaty

Treaty Collection: Second Optional Protocol to the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the
death penalty". United Nations. Archived from the original on 20
October 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2009.
^
https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=IND&mtdsg_no=IV-4&chapter=4&clang=_en
^ "
University of Minnesota

University of Minnesota Human Rights Library". University of
Minnesota. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
^ Act No. 186 of 2011 : Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny)
Act 2011, ComLaw
^ Act No. 186 of 2011, Part 3.
^ Act No. 186 of 2011, Part 2
^
Australian Human Rights Commission

Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth).
^
Australian Human Rights Commission

Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) s 11(e).
^
Australian Human Rights Commission

Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) s 11(j).
^
Australian Human Rights Commission

Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) s 11(f)(i)
– Conciliation & (ii) – Reporting.
^
Australian Human Rights Commission

Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) s 11(n).
^
Australian Human Rights Commission

Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) s 11(k) &
(m).
^ "
Australian Human Rights Commission

Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth), schedule
2".
^ Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic); Human
Rights Act 2004 (ACT).
^ a b c Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT)
^ For example, Part 4, Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT).[84]
^ For example, Part 4, Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT).[84]
^ Vines, Timothy and Faunce, Thomas Alured, A Bad Trip for
Health-Related Human Rights: Implications of Momcilovic v the Queen
(2011) 85 ALJR 957 (2012). (2012) 19 Journal of Law and Medicine 685
<http://ssrn.com/abstract=2257114>
^ Joseph Kavanagh v. Ireland, United Nations Human Rights Committee
Communication No. 819/1998, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/71/D/819/1998 (2001).
^ "Immigration Act 2009 No 51 (as at 06 May 2016), Public Act Part 5
Refugee and protection status determinations – New Zealand
Legislation".
^ "
University of Minnesota

University of Minnesota Human Rights Library".
^ Black, Allinda; Hopkins, June, eds. (2003). "Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights". The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers. Hyde Park, New York:
Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site. Retrieved 21 February
2009.
^ 138 Cong. Rec. S4781-84 (1992)
^ S. Exec. Rep. No. 102-23 (1992)
^ Sei Fujii v. State 38 Cal.2d 718, 242 P.2d 617 (1952); also see
Buell v. Mitchell 274 F.3d 337 Archived 17 May 2010 at the Wayback
Machine. (6th Cir., 2001) (discussing ICCPR's relationship to death
penalty cases, citing to other ICCPR cases)
^ Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, art. 19, 1155 U.N.T.S. 331
(entered into force 27 January 1980) (specifying conditions under
which signatory States can offer "reservations")
^ Yoo, John C. (1999). "Globalism and the Constitution: Treaties,
Non-Self-Execution, and the Original Understanding". Colum. L. Rev. 99
(8): 1955–2094. At p. 1959.
^ Louis Henkin, U.S. Ratification of Human Rights Treaties: The Ghost
of Senator Bricker, 89 Am. J. Int’l L. 341, 346 (1995)
^
Jordan

Jordan J. Paust, International Law As Law of the
United States

United States 375
(2d ed. 2003)
^ Greene, Jamal. "Hate Speech and the Demos". In Herz, Michael;
Molnár, Péter. The Content and Context of Hate Speech: Rethinking
Regulation and Responses. Cambridge University Press. p. 95.
ISBN 978-0-521-19109-8.
^ Hum. Rts. Comm. General Comment No. 24 (52), para. 11, 18–19, U.N.
Doc. CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.6 (1994)
^ a b Hain v. Gibson, 287 F.3d 1224 Archived 17 May 2010 at the
Wayback Machine. (10th Cir. 2002) (noting that Congress has not done
so)
^ Concluding Observations of the Human Rights Comm.:
United States

United States of
America, U.N. Doc. No. CCPR/C/USA/CO/3/Rev.1, para. 10 (2006)
^ "Human Rights Committee : Sessions". ohchr.org. Archived from
the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
^ a b "International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights". United
Nations
Treaty

Treaty Collection. 2017-01-18. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
External links[edit]
Text of the Covenant
List of parties
article 2 Bimonthly publication highlighting article 2 of the ICCPR
Introductory note by Christian Tomuschat, procedural history note and
audiovisual material on the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights in the Historic Archives of the United Nations
Audiovisual Library of International Law
Lecture by
Ruth Wedgwood entitled The Work of the United Nations Human
Rights Committee: Enforcing the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights in the Lecture Series of the United Nations
Audiovisual Library of International Law
Christopher N.J. Roberts: William H. Fitzpatrick’s Editorials on
Human Rights (1949), published by Arbeitskreis Menschenrechte im 20.
Jahrhundert, published at "Quellen zur Geschichte der Menschenrechte"
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