COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE

Twenty-fourth session

Geneva, 1-19 May 2000

PROVISIONAL AGENDA AND ANNOTATIONS

Note by the Secretary-General

1.The twenty-fourth session of the Committee against Torture will be held at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 1 to 19 May 2000. The first meeting of the session will be convened on Monday, 1 May 2000, at 10 a.m.

2.In accordance with rule 6 of the rules of procedure, the Secretary‑General has prepared, in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, the attached provisional agenda for the twenty-fourth session. Annotations to the provisional agenda are also attached.

3.Pursuant to rule 31 of the rules of procedure, the meetings of the Committee will be held in public unless the Committee decides otherwise or it appears from the relevant provisions of the Convention that the meetings should be held in private.

4.The attention of the States parties is drawn, in particular, to the annotations to item 7, which contain the tentative timetable for the consideration of reports at the twenty‑fourth session. In accordance with rule 66 of the rules of procedure, representatives of States parties are invited to attend the meetings of the Committee when their reports are examined.

GE.00-40630 (E)

PROVISIONAL AGENDA

1.Opening of the session by the representative of the Secretary-General.

2.Solemn declaration by the newly elected members of the Committee, as well as by

a member appointed under article 17, paragraph 6, of the Convention.

3.Election of the officers of the Committee.

4.Adoption of the agenda.

5.Organizational and other matters.

6.Submission of reports by States parties under article 19 of the Convention.

7.Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 19 of the

Convention.

8.Consideration of information received under article 20 of the Convention.

9.Consideration of communications under article 22 of the Convention.

10.Action by the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session.

11.Annual report of the Committee on its activities.

ANNOTATIONS

1.Opening of the session by the representative of the Secretary‑General

The twenty-fourth session of the Committee will be opened by the representative of the Secretary‑General, who will preside over the meeting until the election of the Chairman of the Committee.

2.Solemn declaration by the newly elected members of the Committee as well as by a

member appointed under article 17, paragraph 6, of the Convention

In accordance with rule 14 of the rules of procedure (CAT/C/3/Rev.3), the five members of the Committee elected or re-elected at the Seventh Meeting of the States parties to the Convention on 24 November 1999 will make the following solemn declaration:

“I solemnly declare that I will perform my duties and exercise my powers as a member of the Committee against Torture honourably, faithfully, impartially and conscientiously.”

Following the resignation of Mr. Bent Sorensen from the Committee and in accordance with article 17, paragraph 6, of the Convention and rule 13 of the rules of procedure, a national of Denmark will be appointed as a member of the Committee to serve for the remainder of the term of Mr. Sorensen, which will expire on 31 December 2001. In accordance with rule 14 of the rules of procedure, the newly appointed member will make the solemn declaration appearing above.

3.Election of the officers of the Committee

In accordance with article 18, paragraph 1, of the Convention, and rules 15 and 16 of the rules of procedure, the Committee shall elect from among its members a chairman, three vice‑chairmen and a rapporteur. The officers of the Committee shall be elected for a term of two years.

4.Adoption of the agenda

Under rule 8 of the rules of procedure, the adoption of the agenda shall follow the election of officers when required under rule 15. In accordance with rule 9, during a session the Committee may revise the agenda and may, as appropriate, defer or delete items; only urgent and important items may be added to the agenda.

5.Organizational and other matters

Under this item, the Committee may wish to consider its programme of work for the session, as well as any other matter concerning the modalities of discharging its functions under the Convention.

6.Submission of reports by States parties under article 19 of the Convention

It may be recalled that, in accordance with rule 65 of its rules of procedure and the Committee's decisions, the Secretary-General sends reminders automatically to those States parties whose initial reports are more than 12 months overdue and subsequent reminders every 6 months. In addition, the Committee includes information on non-compliance by States parties with their reporting obligations in its annual report to the States parties and to the General Assembly.

The situation with regard to overdue reports as at 1 February 2000 is as follows:

State party Initial reportsDate on which the

report was due

Uganda25 June 1988

Togo17 December 1988

Guyana17 June 1989

Brazil27 October 1990

Guinea 8 November 1990

Somalia22 February 1991

Estonia19 November 1992

Yemen 4 December 1992

Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 March 1993

Benin10 April 1993

Latvia13 May 1993

Seychelles 3 June 1993

Cape Verde 3 July 1993

Cambodia13 November 1993

Burundi19 March 1994

Slovakia27 May 1994

Antigua and Barbuda17 August 1994

Costa Rica10 December 1994

Ethiopia12 April 1995

Albania 9 June 1995

Chad9 July 1995

Republic of Moldova27 December 1996

Côte d'Ivoire16 January 1997

Lithuania 1 March 1997

Democratic Republic of the Congo16 April 1997

Malawi10 July 1997

Honduras 3 January 1998

Kenya22 March 1998

Saudi Arabia21 October 1998

Bahrain 4 April 1999

Kazakhstan24 September 1999

Bangladesh 3 November 1999

Niger 3 November 1999

Zambia 5 November 1999

Indonesia26 November 1999

South Africa 8 January 2000

State party Second periodic reportsDate on which the

report was due

Afghanistan25 June 1992

Belize25 June 1992

Philippines25 June 1992

Uganda25 June 1992

Togo17 December 1992

Guyana17 June 1993

Turkey31 August 1993

Brazil27 October 1994

Guinea 8 November 1994

Somalia22 February 1995

Romania16 January 1996

Nepal12 June 1996

Venezuela27 August 1996

Yugoslavia 9 October 1996

Estonia19 November 1996

Yemen 4 December 1996

Jordan12 December 1996

Monaco 4 January 1997

Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 March 1997

Benin10 April 1997

Latvia13 May 1997

Seychelles 3 June 1997

Cape Verde 3 July 1997

Cambodia13 November 1997

Czech Republic31 December 1997

Burundi19 March 1998

Slovakia27 May 1998

Slovenia14 August 1998

Antigua and Barbuda17 August 1998

Costa Rica10 December 1998

Sri Lanka 1 February 1999

Ethiopia12 April 1999

Albania 9 June 1999

United States of America19 November 1999

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia11 December 1999

Namibia27 December 1999

Third periodic reports

Afghanistan25 June 1996

Belize25 June 1996

Bulgaria25 June 1996

Cameroon25 June 1996

France25 June 1996

Philippines25 June 1996

Russian Federation25 June 1996

Senegal25 June 1996

Uganda25 June 1996

State party Third periodic reports (cont’d)Date on which the

report was due

Uruguay25 June 1996

Austria27 August 1996

Luxembourg28 October 1996

Togo17 December 1996

Colombia 6 January 1997

Ecuador28 April 1997

Guyana17 June 1997

Turkey31 August 1997

Tunisia22 October 1997

Chile29 October 1997

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya14 June 1998

Australia 6 September 1998

Algeria11 October 1998

Brazil27 October 1998

Guinea 8 November 1998

New Zealand 8 January 1999

Somalia22 February 1999

Malta12 October 1999

Germany30 October 1999

Liechtenstein 1 December 1999

Romania16 January 2000

7.Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 19 of the Convention

A tentative timetable for the consideration of reports at the twenty-fourth session, prepared by the Secretary‑General, and subject to approval by the Committee, is given below:

Tuesday, 2 May 2000
10 a.m.	Poland: third periodic report CAT/C/44/Add.5
Wednesday, 3 May 2000
10 a.m.	Portugal: second periodic report CAT/C/44/Add.7
3 p.m.	Poland (continued)
Thursday, 4 May 2000
10 a.m.	China: third periodic report	CAT/C/39/Add.2
3 p.m.	Portugal (continued)

Friday, 5 May 2000
10 a.m.	Paraguay: third periodic report	CAT/C/49/Add.1
3 p.m.	Poland (conclusions and recommendations)
3.30 p.m.	China (continued)
Monday, 8 May 2000
10 a.m.	Armenia: second periodic report	CAT/C/43/Add.3
3 p.m.	Portugal (conclusions and recommendations)
3.30 p.m.	Paraguay (continued)
Tuesday, 9 May 2000
10 a.m.	El Salvador: initial report	CAT/C/37/Add.4
3 p.m.	China (conclusions and recommendations)
3.30 p.m.	Armenia (continued)
Wednesday, 10 May 2000
10 a.m.	United States of America: initial report	CAT/C/28/Add.5
3 p.m.	Paraguay (conclusions and recommendations)
3.30 p.m.	El Salvador (continued)
Thursday, 11 May 2000
10 a.m.	Netherlands: third periodic report	CAT/C/44/Add.4
3 p.m.	Armenia (conclusions and recommendations)
3.30 p.m.	United States of America (continued)
Friday, 12 May 2000
10 a.m.	Slovenia: initial report	CAT/C/24/Add.5
3 p.m.	El Salvador (conclusions and recommendations)
3.30 p.m.	Netherlands (continued)
Monday, 15 May 2000
3 p.m.	United States of America (conclusions and recommendations)
3.30 p.m.	Slovenia (continued)

Tuesday, 16 May 2000
3 p.m.	Netherlands (conclusions and recommendations)
Wednesday, 17 May 2000
3 p.m.	Slovenia (conclusions and recommendations)

8.Consideration of information received under article 20 of the Convention

In accordance with the provisions of chapter XVII of its rules of procedure, the Committee will consider under this item information which is, or appears to be, submitted for its consideration under article 20 of the Convention.

In accordance with the provisions of article 20, paragraph 5, of the Convention and rules 72 and 73 of the rules of procedure, all documents and proceedings of the Committee relating to its functions under article 20 of the Convention shall be confidential and all the meetings concerning its proceedings under that article shall be closed.

9.Consideration of communications under article 22 of the Convention

In accordance with the provisions of chapter XIX of its rules of procedure, the Committee will consider under this item communications which are, or appear to be, submitted to it under article 22 of the Convention.

In accordance with article 22, paragraph 6, of the Convention and rule 101, paragraph 1, of the rules of procedure, meetings of the Committee or its subsidiary bodies during which communications under article 22 of the Convention are examined shall be closed.

10.Action by the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session

(a)Annual report submitted by the Committee against Torture under article 24 of the Convention;

(b)Effective implementation of international instruments on human rights, including reporting obligations under international instruments on human rights.

Under this item, the Committee will have before it the relevant resolutions and decisions adopted by the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session and the Commission on Human Rights at its fifty-sixth session.

11.Annual report of the Committee on its activities

In accordance with article 24 of the Convention, the Committee shall submit an annual report on its activities to the States parties and to the General Assembly.

At its second session, the Committee decided to adopt its annual report at the end of its spring session, for appropriate transmission to the General Assembly during the same calendar year. Accordingly, the annual report to be submitted to the General Assembly at its fifty‑fifth session will include the activities of the Committee at its twenty‑third and twenty‑fourth sessions.