HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE

Seventy-seventh session

List of issues to be taken up in connection with the consideration of the second

periodic report of SLOVAKIA (CCPR/C/SVK/2003/2), adopted by the

Human Rights Committee on 19 March 2003

Constitutional and legal framework within which the Covenant is implemented; states of emergency (arts. 2 and 4)

Please indicate whether, during the period under review, there have been any cases in which provisions of the Covenant were directly invoked before State organs, the Constitutional Court and ordinary courts, and, if so, with what results?

Please describe the procedures in place for the implementation of the Views adopted by the Committee under the Optional Protocol and the Committee’s recommendations expressed in its concluding observations.

Please indicate what progress has been made with the drafting of the draft constitutional statute on security of the State in Wartime, State of War, Crisis and Emergency, referred to in paragraph 28 of the report. How is compliance with article 4 of the Covenant, read in the light of the Committee’s General Comment No. 29, secured?

Please address the compatibility with the Covenant of counter-terrorism measures taken by the State party, including those reported pursuant to Security Council resolution 1373 (see Security Council documents S/2001/1225 and S/2002/730).

Please elaborate on the activities, existing and proposed, of the newly established Ombudsman office, as well as on its staffing and budget (para. 7 and Core document

paras. 74-81).

GE.03-41064 (E) 310303

Non-discrimination and equality between the sexes (arts. 2.1, 3 and 26)

Have the draft equal treatment law and the draft law on the establishment of the equal treatment centre (para. 312) been adopted since the submission of the report? In addition, please indicate what measures have been adopted to provide legal remedies in cases of discrimination against women.

What specific measures have been taken, or are envisaged, to enhance the participation of women in public life, particularly in the political area and public service (parliament and government), as well as in the private sector, especially at senior level? What have been the achievements thus far of the policy of equal opportunities between men and women (para. 19)?What have been the results of the annual evaluation by the Government of the National Action Plan for Women in the Slovak Republic aimed at improving the status of women in several areas of life (para. 21.1)? Please specify the areas of life targeted by the plan.

Was the National Strategy for the Prevention and Elimination of Violence Committed against Women and in Families completed by December 2002 (para. 22)? If so, please describe any results achieved thus far.

Right to life, treatment of prisoners and other detainees, liberty and security of the person and the right to a fair trial (arts. 6, 7, 9, 10 and 14)

Please provide information and statistics on measures taken to prevent ill-treatment during police investigations, including prompt investigations and prosecutions, as well as details of the outcomes of such proceedings, including the case mentioned in paragraph 100.2.

Please provide information on measures taken in the areas of professional training and education of police officers.

Please explain what restrictions exist in respect of the right of detained persons to inform their relatives and a lawyer from the beginning of police custody, as well as to see a doctor, and to obtain written information about their rights.

In view of the significant legislative steps taken towards ensuring the independence of the judiciary (paras. 161-172), please provide additional information on progress on their implementation since the submission of the report.

Elimination of slavery and servitude (art. 8)

Please provide information and any available statistics about the trafficking of women and girls for the purpose of prostitution. What measures has the State party taken to combat these practices in its territory?

Freedom of religion and conscience and non-discrimination (arts. 18 and 26)

With reference to paragraph 233 of the report, please specify how the legislation relevant to churches and religious societies is satisfactory to ensure compliance with the Covenant.

Freedom of opinion and expression and the right to receive information (art. 19)

Please provide further information on the rejection, in November 2001 by the National Council, of the bill regarding the deletion of the criminal offence of defamation of the Republic and its representative within the meaning of sections 102 and 103 of the Criminal Code. What subsequent steps have been taken by the Government on this particular issue (paras. 206 and 247)?

With regard to the two draft laws in the field of broadcasting mentioned in paragraph 239.2, namely the Slovak Radio Act and the Slovak Television Act, and in the light of the decision of the National Council not to continue debate on these draft laws, please indicate the steps taken to enhance the independence of broadcasting by the public media and to ensure its freedom from political pressure.

Rights of persons belonging to minorities, rights of the child (arts. 27 and 24)

Please provide updated information on the number and proportion of persons belonging to minorities, particularly the Hungarian, Roma, Czech, Ruthenian, Ukrainian, German, Polish, Moravian and other minorities in political and public affairs, including the public service and in the private sector.

In law and practice, what is being done to reduce substantially discrimination againstthe Roma minority? Please provide further information regarding progress in implementation and funding of measures to prevent and combat discrimination, as well as to ensure an effective remedy in relation to access to housing and public places, employment and health care, particularly with respect to the Roma minority.

What have been the results of the research on the situation of the Roma child and pupil in the school system in 2000 and 2001 (para. 337)? Please indicate concrete steps to ensure that Roma children have equal access to and opportunities to attend regular schools, with supportive education if necessary.

Please comment on the extent of racist attacks on minorities, particularly violence and harassment by skinheads towards the Roma minority (para. 304), and allegations about failure, on the part of the police and judicial authorities, to investigate and prosecute hate crimes. What concrete measures are being taken by the State party to combat and punishany acts of harassment and discrimination of the Roma by the police? Please specify the activities of the Commission on Dealing with the Problem of Racially Motivated Violence (para. 309).

Have there been any concrete achievements by the different institutional mechanisms established for the protection and observance of human rights mentioned in paragraph 6 and following of the report? Please specify concrete activities as well as measures taken to raise awareness of these institutions and policies amongst professional groups and the public at large.

Please provide updated information on the implementation of Act. No. 184/1999 Coll. on the use of national minority languages that entered into force on 1 September 1999.

Dissemination of information relating to the Covenant and the Optional Protocol (art. 2)

23.Please provide information on training and education on the Covenant and the Optional Protocol procedure provided to all categories of public officials, in particular school teachers, the judiciary, and law enforcement and prison officials. Please also indicate the steps taken to increase the awareness and understanding of the Covenant and the Optional Protocol procedure amongst the general public, including ethnic and linguistic minorities.

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