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The international covenant on civil and political rights

Scheinin, Martin LU orcid (2007) p.48-69
Abstract

General issues Basic features The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966, and, after the required number of ratifications, it entered into force on 23 March 1976. To a large extent the Covenant, together with the simultaneously adopted International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, codifies in the form of a legally binding international treaty the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. The rights protected under the Covenant range from the right to life (article 6) to the right of public participation (article 25), from the right of all peoples to self-determination (article 1) to rights of members of... (More)

General issues Basic features The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966, and, after the required number of ratifications, it entered into force on 23 March 1976. To a large extent the Covenant, together with the simultaneously adopted International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, codifies in the form of a legally binding international treaty the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. The rights protected under the Covenant range from the right to life (article 6) to the right of public participation (article 25), from the right of all peoples to self-determination (article 1) to rights of members of minorities (article 27). Despite its name, the Covenant is not restricted to ‘civil and political rights’ in the narrow sense. The above-mentioned provisions on self-determination and minority rights include important dimensions related to economic resources. The prohibition against discrimination (article 26) is overarching in nature, hence extending, for instance, to social, economic and cultural spheres. The provision on the right to freedom of association (article 22) explicitly covers also trade union rights. The right of all persons deprived of their liberty to humane treatment (article 10) addresses also the practical conditions of detention and hence the obligation of the State to allocate economic resources to secure that its prison conditions meet international standards.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Public international law, Human rights, Folkrätt, Mänskliga rättigheter
host publication
Making Treaties Work : Human Rights, Environment and Arms Control - Human Rights, Environment and Arms Control
editor
Ulfstein, Geir ; Marauhn, Thilo and Zimmermann, Andreas
pages
22 pages
publisher
Cambridge University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:84927071834
ISBN
0521873177
9780521873178
9780511494345
DOI
10.1017/CBO9780511494345.004
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
77cca9a2-721f-4db2-94fc-73319ab8a263
date added to LUP
2025-05-21 10:13:20
date last changed
2025-06-18 11:29:47
@inbook{77cca9a2-721f-4db2-94fc-73319ab8a263,
  abstract     = {{<p>General issues Basic features The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966, and, after the required number of ratifications, it entered into force on 23 March 1976. To a large extent the Covenant, together with the simultaneously adopted International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, codifies in the form of a legally binding international treaty the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. The rights protected under the Covenant range from the right to life (article 6) to the right of public participation (article 25), from the right of all peoples to self-determination (article 1) to rights of members of minorities (article 27). Despite its name, the Covenant is not restricted to ‘civil and political rights’ in the narrow sense. The above-mentioned provisions on self-determination and minority rights include important dimensions related to economic resources. The prohibition against discrimination (article 26) is overarching in nature, hence extending, for instance, to social, economic and cultural spheres. The provision on the right to freedom of association (article 22) explicitly covers also trade union rights. The right of all persons deprived of their liberty to humane treatment (article 10) addresses also the practical conditions of detention and hence the obligation of the State to allocate economic resources to secure that its prison conditions meet international standards.</p>}},
  author       = {{Scheinin, Martin}},
  booktitle    = {{Making Treaties Work : Human Rights, Environment and Arms Control}},
  editor       = {{Ulfstein, Geir and Marauhn, Thilo and Zimmermann, Andreas}},
  isbn         = {{0521873177}},
  keywords     = {{Public international law; Human rights; Folkrätt; Mänskliga rättigheter}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  pages        = {{48--69}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  title        = {{The international covenant on civil and political rights}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511494345.004}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/CBO9780511494345.004}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}