PRESS CONFERENCE BY HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE

Foreigners being expelled from Sweden, prison deaths in Georgia, and discrimination against the Roma in Hungary were the main concerns raised by the Human Rights Committee at a Headquarters press conference this afternoon, as correspondents were briefed on the results of its recent session.

In Sweden's case, that country had taken tough measures to expel certain foreigners suspected of involvement in terrorist activities after the 11 September attacks on the United States, said Committee Vice-Chairman David Kretzmer, who reported jointly with Prafullachandra Bhagwati, Committee Chairman on the Committee's seventy-fourth session which began on 18 March and concluded today.  The Committee’s 18 experts monitor compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Those measures violated international human rights law when Sweden expelled such persons to countries linked with credible reports of systematic torture, he added.  Although Sweden asked for assurances from the country's authorities that those people would not be harmed, and attempted to check up on those assurances, Committee members were worried about the long time lapse between the expulsion and visits to the concerned individuals by Swedish Embassy officials.

"Our experience, generally, is that when people are in danger of torture or cruel inhuman punishment, it’s generally in the initial period after they are arrested", Mr. Kretzmer said.

Continuing with the Committee's report, Mr. Bhagwati noted that an excessive number of people had died in jails, prisons and detention facilities in Georgia. According to a draft version of the report, the Committee was also concerned with the widespread torture of prisoners -- who could be detained up to 72 hours before being charged -- by police and prison officers.

Other concerns about human rights in Georgia included the low representation of women in political and public life, domestic violence against women and trafficking in women.  The draft also highlighted an increase in acts of religious intolerance and harassment of religious minorities, particularly Jehovah's Witnesses.

On the positive side, the Committee commended Georgia for setting up a positive, political constitutional and legal framework to implement human rights and for abolishing the death penalty.  It also welcomed the so-called Rapid Reaction Group, which visits police stations to promptly investigate complaints.

Hungary's main human rights problem was discrimination against the Roma,

Mr. Bhagwati said, and the harsh conditions that ethnic group were living in.  The Committee particularly regrets ongoing discrimination against the Roma with regard to employment, housing, education, social security and participation in public life.

The Committee’s draft report also focused on ill treatment by police in the pretrial detention period, which could last up to three years, and prison overcrowding.  In addition, it noted continuing reports of violence against women, including rape and sexual harassment, the high maternal mortality rate, and discrimination against certain religious groups.

The Committee commended Hungary for progress it had made to strengthen democratic institutions, legislative measures towards setting up a human rights regime, as well as a framework for minority protection and minority electoral representation.

Mr. Bhagwati explained that the Committee had reviewed only three countries during the session, rather than the usual five, because the Gambia and Viet Nam had been postponed to the July session.  With the extra time, it had dealt with a record 24 communications (individual human rights complaints), which included one admissible decision, two inadmissible decisions, two decisions under rule 91, and 19 follow-up views on case recommendations.

Asked how many people Sweden had deported and to where, Mr. Kretzmer replied that the number was not huge, but that each individual was important when it came to human rights abuses. As to where, the expulsions were to Middle East countries.

Responding to another question, Mr. Kretzmer said that racism and xenophobia had existed before 11 September in Sweden, but that those attacks had exacerbated the problem.

Another correspondent asked whether the Committee would be addressing the current human rights situation in the Middle East.  Mr. Bhagati said the Committee could not take up particular situations unless they came through reports or communications.  If the situation was really horrible, it may call for a special report.

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