
Press release – human rights
The Human Rights Committee adopted most of the recommendations submitted by CEDEM and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights – a member of the Civic Alliance, in December last year, regarding Montenegro’s initial report on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Namely, the Human Rights Committee adopted a list of priority issues related to the initial report of Montenegro, which Montenegro, as a State party, should answer before the meeting at which the Committee formally considers the report on the implementation of the Pact.
According to the list adopted by the Committee, Montenegro needs to answer questions concerning guarantees of effective remedies, non-discrimination, protection of equal rights for men and women, the rights of the child, the right to life and protection from torture, privacy and refugees and internally displaced persons, especially Roma and Egyptians. In the recommendations submitted to the Committee, CEDEM and YIHR emphasized the importance of considering the effectiveness of constitutional complaints as a mechanism for protecting constitutional rights and freedoms, and the effectiveness of mechanisms for protection against discrimination that are still ineffective in all cases of equality violations.
In addition, CEDEM and YIHR recommended that the state provide data related to the prosecution of war crimes and the protection of the rights of victims of those crimes; the position of detainees, especially those who are users of psychoactive substances, as well as persons placed in psychiatric institutions; prosecution of cases of torture by police officers, and prosecution of attacks on the identity and property of journalists. CEDEM and YIHR also highlighted the position of minority communities, especially the Roma and Egyptian communities, in relation to effective access to free legal aid, the provision of a court interpreter for the Romani language and the processing of child labor and forced and early marriages.
The report of Montenegro will be considered at the 112th session of the Committee, which will be held from 7 to 31 October 2014.
Mr Nenad Koprivica, izvršni direktor CEDEM-a
Boris Raonić, predsjednik Građanske alijanse