The procedure of adopting the decisions of the Human Rights Committee relating to communications under the optional protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Abstract

One of the most important functions of the Human Rights Committee, established under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (henceforth: the Committee), which was adopted on 16 December 1966 and entered into force on 23 March 1976, was determined by the Optional Protocol to the same Covenant (same dates of adoption and entry into force). The Optional Protocol provides for the competence of the Committee to consider communications from private individuals claiming to be victims of violations of the rights and freedoms recognised in the Covenant by a State party to the Optional Protocol. In recent years this function of the Committee has become more and more important, which can be judged by the increasing number of ratifications of or adhesions to the Optional Protocol, the almost exponential growth of the number of communications (complaints) received and registered, and consequently, by the amount of time the Committee has had to devote to the consideration of the communications, which is visible from the data provided in regular annual reports of the Committee to the UN Economic and Social Council and General Assembly. [excerpt]