Knowra International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights A United Nations treaty that commits its state parties to respect and ensure civil and political rights, including life, liberty, fair trial, expression, and political participation.
International Bill of Human Rights : The name for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the two principal United Nations human-rights covenants. The Covenant is one of the two treaties in this broader framework.
General Comment No. 31 : A Human Rights Committee interpretation addressing the nature of states parties’ general legal obligations under the Covenant. It explains duties to respect and ensure rights and provide effective remedies.
Freedom of expression : The right to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through speech and other media. Article 19 protects expression while permitting specific, legally constrained restrictions.
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights : A United Nations treaty protecting economic, social, and cultural rights through state obligations. It complements the Covenant by addressing a different group of rights.
State party : A state that has formally joined an international treaty and is bound by it. The Covenant’s legal duties apply to states that have joined it.
International human rights law : The body of international law governing states’ obligations to respect and protect human rights. The Covenant operates within this broader legal framework.
Right to a fair trial : The right to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent, and impartial tribunal. Article 14 sets safeguards for criminal proceedings and the determination of rights and obligations.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights : A 1948 United Nations declaration setting out a common standard of human rights, rather than a treaty. It preceded the Covenant and states rights in a non-treaty declaration.
Treaty reservation : A unilateral statement by a state seeking to exclude or modify a treaty provision’s legal effect for that state. Reservations can qualify how particular Covenant obligations apply to a state.
Derogation : A temporary suspension or modification of certain treaty obligations during a qualifying emergency, under specified conditions. The Covenant permits limited emergency derogations while protecting non-derogable rights.
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