Meeting of States Parties to International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Replaces Member of Human Rights Committee

The thirty-third Meeting of States Parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights elected Andrei Paul Zlătescu (Romania) to the Human Rights Committee until today, replacing Iulia Antoanella Motoc, who resigned on 4 November 2013, and whose term would have expired on 31 December this year.

Acting by acclamation, the Meeting also elected Ron Prosor (Israel) as its Chair, as well as Diana Emilla Sutikno (Indonesia) and OlisaÇifligu (Albania) as Vice-Chairpersons from among representatives of the States parties.

The Human Rights Committee monitors implementation of the International Covenant and its Protocols, within the territory of each States party.  Comprising 18 independent experts of high moral character and recognized competence in the field of human rights, the Committee is elected by States parties to the Covenant on Civil and Political rights, with its members serving four-year terms.  Half their number are elected every second year in a meeting of the States parties  The Committee convenes three times a year in three-week sessions, two of which are held in Geneva and one in New York.

The 1966 Covenant commits its 167 States parties to respect the civil and political rights of individuals, including the rights to life, freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, in addition to electoral and due process rights, and the right to a fair trial.  It lays out fundamental human rights in areas such as self-determination and the prohibition of discrimination.  Particular articles establish a ban on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Ivan Šimonović, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, described today’s gathering as an extraordinary meeting.  The regular, thirty-fourth, Meeting of States Parties would take place on 24 June, during which time two elections would be organized:  the regular election of nine Committee members to replace those whose terms would end on 31 December; and an additional by-election to replace a Committee member who resigned in January and whose term was due to end on 31 December 2016.