HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE DISCUSSES REVISED GENERAL COMMENT ON RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL

The Human Rights Committee today discussed its revised General Comment on article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on the right to a fair trial and equality before the courts and tribunals. The General Comment, when adopted, will replace the General Comment on the article which was adopted in 1984, reflecting and further developing it.

The revised General Comment (CCPR/C/83/CRP.4/Rev.1) notes that the right to a fair trial and to equality before the courts and tribunals are key elements of human rights protection and serve by procedural means to safeguard the rule of law. Article 14 of the Covenant aims at ensuring the proper administration of justice, and to this end guarantees a series of specific rights, including that all persons shall be equal before the courts and tribunals; that everyone charged with a criminal offence shall have the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law; and that everyone convicted of a crime shall have the right to his conviction and sentence being reviewed by a higher tribunal according to law.

Having discussed the wording of the revised General Comment on a paragraph-by-paragraph basis, the Committee will continue to discuss it on Wednesday, 2 November at 10 a.m..

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday, 26 October at 3 p.m., when it will take up consideration of the second periodic report of Brazil (CCPR/C/BRA/2004/2).

For use of the information media; not an official record

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