Communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs No 39 / 1997 Coll.

39

COMMUNICATION

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces that the Parliament of the Czech Republic has given its assent pursuant to Article 39 (4) of the Constitution of the Czech Republic to a declaration withdrawing a reservation within the meaning of Article 28 (1) to Article 20 and recognising the competence of the Committee against Torture to accept a submission pursuant to Articles 21 (1) and 22 (1) of the Convention against Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment negotiated in New York on 10 December 1984, published under No 143 / 1988 Coll. 1)

The President of the Republic withdrew the reservation to Article 20, which was made when the Convention was signed and confirmed when it was ratified on 7 July 1988, with a statement "that the Czech Republic, in accordance with Article 21 (1) of the Convention, recognises the competence of the Committee to accept and assess the notification of one State that another State does not fulfil its obligations under this Convention. Furthermore, the Czech Republic has declared that, in accordance with Article 22 (1) of the Convention, it recognises the competence of the Committee to receive and assess notifications from or on behalf of individuals subject to its jurisdiction who complain that they have been victims of a breach of the provisions of this Convention by a State, a Contracting Party to this Convention. '

The instrument of appeal of the reservation with the declaration was deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 3 September 1996.

The Convention against Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of 10 December 1984 is an international treaty on human rights and fundamental freedoms within the meaning of Article 10 of the Constitution of the Czech Republic.

On 22 February 1993, the Czech Republic notified the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the depositary of the Convention, the skirt of the Czech Republic to the Convention with effect from 1 January 1993.