Human Rights Committee

Concluding observations on the third periodic report of Greece *

1.The Committee considered the third periodic report of Greece at its 4158th and 4159th meetings, held on 21 and 22 October 2024. At its 4180th meeting, held on 5 November 2024, the Committee adopted the present concluding observations.

A.Introduction

2.The Committee is grateful to the State party for having accepted the simplified reporting procedure and for submitting its third periodic report in response to the list of issues prior to reporting prepared under that procedure. It expresses appreciation for the opportunity to renew its constructive dialogue with the State party’s high-level delegation on the measures taken during the reporting period to implement the provisions of the Covenant. The Committee thanks the State party for the oral responses provided by the delegation and for the supplementary information provided to it in writing.

B.Positive aspects

3.The Committee welcomes the adoption by the State party of the following legislative measures:

(a)Law No. 5089/2024 on equality in civil marriage and amendments to other provisions of the Civil Code;

(b)Law No. 5078/2023 on reform of professional insurance legislation, pension arrangements and other provisions, which granted around 30,000 undocumented migrants the right to a three-year residency permit and the right to work in Greece;

(c)Law No. 4960/2022 on the national guardianship system and the framework for the accommodation of unaccompanied minors and other activities of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum;

(d) Law No. 4938/2022 on the Code on the organization of the courts and the status of judges and prosecutors;

(e)Law No. 4604/2019 on promoting substantive gender equality and preventing and combating gender-based violence.

4.The Committee welcomes the following institutional and policy measures taken by the State party:

(a)The adoption of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, 2023–2028;

(b)The adoption of the National Action Plan for the Protection of Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation, 2022–2027;

(c)The adoption of the National Strategy for the Protection of Unaccompanied Minors, in 2022;

(d)The establishment of the Task Force for Ensuring the Protection, Safety and Enhancement of the Status of Journalists and Media Professionals, with the cooperation of the European Commission, in 2022;

(e)The adoption of the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan, 2022–2025:

(f)The launch of the National Emergency Response Mechanism for unaccompanied minors in precarious living conditions, in 2021;

(g)The adoption of the National Strategy for the Equality of LGBTIQ+ persons, 2021–2025;

(h)The adoption of the National Strategy and Action Plan for the Social Integration of Roma, 2021–2030;

(i)The adoption of the National Action Plan for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2020–2027;

(j)The adoption of the National Action Plan on Gender Equality, 2021–2025;

(k)The adoption of the National Action Plan against Racism and Intolerance, 2020–2023;

(l)The establishment of the Special Secretariat for the Protection of Unaccompanied Minors, in 2020;

(m)The adoption of the National Action Plan 2019–2023 for the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Human Beings and the Protection and Rehabilitation of Victims;

(n)The launch of the National Referral Mechanism for the Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking, in 2019.

5.The Committee welcomes the State party’s ratification of, or accession to, the following international instruments:

(a)The International Labour Organization Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190), on 12 June 2021;

(b) The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), in 2018.

C.Principal matters of concern and recommendations

Constitutional and legal framework within which the Covenant is implemented

6.The Committee welcomes the fact that the Constitution provides for the direct application of the Covenant within domestic law. Nevertheless, it regrets the lack of information on cases in domestic courts in which the provisions of the Covenant have been invoked or applied. It remains concerned about the lack of a specific procedure or mechanism for examining and guaranteeing the implementation of the Committee’s Views, particularly regarding Kalamiotis v. Greece, Katsaris v. Greece and Georgopoulos et al. v. Greece, as well as the fact that the Views have not been published online. While the Committee takes note of the courses that the National School of Judges provides to judges and prosecutors on international human rights law incorporated into domestic legal instruments, it regrets the lack of information regarding the measures taken to raise awareness of the Covenant and its Optional Protocol among the general public (art. 2).

7The State party should take all measures necessary to fully implement the Views adopted by the Committee, through appropriate and effective mechanisms, in accordance with article 2 (2) and (3) of the Covenant. It should also ensure that the Committee’s Views are promptly translated into Greek and that they are posted on official websites. The State party should continue to ensure the direct applicability of the Covenant and provide specific training on the Covenant and its Optional Protocol to public officials, including judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officials, and raise awareness of both instruments among the general public.

Anti-corruption measures

8.The Committee welcomes the legislative and institutional measures taken by the State party to combat corruption, including Law No. 5090/2024, which amended the Whistle‑blower Protection Law (No. 4990/2022), and the establishment of the National Transparency Authority in 2019, which oversees the implementation of the National Anti‑Corruption Action Plan for 2022–2025. Nevertheless, the Committee regrets the lack of specific information on the measures taken to guarantee independent and impartial investigations into and prosecutions of corruption cases, reports of public officials accused of corruption and the resulting proceedings that may have been launched (arts. 2 and 25).

9. The State party should fully implement the recommendations in the 2024 report on Greece of the Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. It should also fully implement the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan for 2022 – 2025 and provide the National Transparency Authority with sufficient human and financial resources. The State party should also:

(a) Take legislative and institutional measures to guarantee the protection of whistle-blowers from reprisals, in law and in practice, and to ensure the independence, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of all public officials and anti-corruption bodies, including the National Transparency Authority;

(b) Guarantee the prompt and timely investigation of all complaints of corruption, including those concerning high-level public officials accused of corruption, and ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted and, if convicted, punished with sanctions appropriate for the seriousness of the offence;

(c) Raise awareness of the economic and social costs of corruption and the mechanisms in place to address it, including the Whistle-blower Protection Law.

Discrimination against Roma

10.The Committee welcomes the National Roma Integration Strategy and the Action Plan for the Social Integration of the Roma, 2021–2030, guided by the principle “for the Roma, with the Roma”. Nevertheless, it remains concerned at the persistent marginalization of and discrimination against the Roma, particularly in the areas of housing, education and healthcare, and the ill-treatment they receive from law enforcement officers (arts. 2, 26 and 27).

11. The State party should:

(a) Redouble its efforts to prevent and eradicate all forms of discrimination against and marginalization of the Roma, including in the fields of housing, education and healthcare;

(b) Adopt robust measures to effectively prevent acts of discrimination and impunity, including by providing training and awareness-raising programmes to civil servants, law enforcement bodies, the judiciary and public prosecutors, and promote respect for diversity among the general public;

(c) Conduct thorough, independent and impartial investigations into all allegations of discrimination and ill-treatment, prosecute perpetrators and, if they are convicted, punish them with sanctions commensurate with the gravity of the crime and provide victims with a full remedy;

(d) Ensure that the National Roma Integration Strategy and the Action Plan for the Social Integration of the Roma, 2021–2030, are fully implemented, including by allocating them sufficient human and financial resources, and ensure their regular monitoring, evaluation and reporting with meaningful participation of the Roma.

Discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity

12.While noting that Law No. 4958/2022 prohibits the performance on intersex minors of medical interventions aimed at modifying their physical sex characteristics, the Committee remains concerned that intersex persons continue to face discrimination from the medical community and derogatory speech online. The Committee is also concerned at reports that the Greek healthcare system still applies the tenth revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, which refers to “transsexualism” as a “gender identity disorder”, rather than following the updated eleventh revision, which refers to “gender incongruity”. The Committee remains concerned about the multiple barriers resulting from the use of those outdated definitions in all areas of transgender persons’ lives, including access to healthcare and equal opportunities in the workplace (arts. 2 and 26).

13. The State party should redouble its efforts to prevent, combat and eradicate discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In particular, the State party should:

(a) Ensure that violence motivated by the victim ’ s sexual orientation or gender identity is thoroughly investigated, that those responsible are brought to justice and, if convicted, punished appropriately, and that victims have effective access to legal aid and judicial remedies;

(b) Establish accessible mechanisms for victims to file complaints of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and adopt measures to avoid re-victimization, including by providing training and awareness-raising programmes for law enforcement officials, prosecutors, judges and the general public;

(c) Adhere to the eleventh revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems of the World Health Organization to ensure that transgender identities are not pathologized and take steps to ensure that all forms of discrimination are eliminated in healthcare, the workplace and other areas.

Violence against women, including domestic violence

14.The Committee welcomes the measures taken by the State party to address violence against women, including the establishment of domestic violence offices in each regional police unit, the development of a mobile “panic button” application and the provision of free legal protection and shelters for victims of domestic violence, sexual exploitation and trafficking in persons. Nevertheless, the Committee remains concerned at the high rates of violence against women, including domestic violence and in particular, the persistently high number of femicides, and the low rate of reporting by victims. The Committee is also concerned that the number of support centres and shelters is insufficient, given the number of victims of domestic violence. The Committee regrets the lack of information on the number of complaints, investigations, prosecutions and convictions in cases of violence against women. It notes that Law No. 4800/2021 allows perpetrators of domestic violence and sexual offences to retain child custody and unrestricted contact with their children until their conviction by a first instance court. The Committee is concerned that joint and equal parental custody of children, especially during lengthy court processes, places victims of domestic abuse and their children directly at risk (arts. 2, 3, 6, 7 and 26).

15. The State party should strengthen its efforts to prevent and eliminate violence against women, including domestic violence, by:

(a) Ensuring that all cases of violence against women, including domestic violence, are promptly and thoroughly investigated, perpetrators are prosecuted and, if convicted, punished with appropriate sanctions, and victims have access to effective remedies, comprehensive reparations and receive, without discrimination, the necessary legal, medical, financial and psychological support;

(b) Expanding the network of support centres and shelters, as well as domestic violence services at police stations and hospitals, throughout the country and improving access to legal representation for victims of violence, including domestic violence;

(c) Ensuring that police officers, prosecutors and judges continue to receive appropriate training that empowers them to deal with cases of violence against women effectively and in a gender-sensitive manner, increasing the number of female police officers and guaranteeing access to specialized units;

(d) Encouraging the reporting of cases of domestic violence against women and girls by raising awareness among the general public about the criminal nature of such acts and combating stereotypes that normalize violence against women, and adopting without delay a comprehensive strategy to combat negative gender stereotypes;

(e) Reviewing and considering amending Law No. 4800/2021 to ensure the protection of all victims of domestic violence, including by conducting individualized risk assessments in the determination of custody and visiting rights instead of a joint custody presumption;

(f) Considering amending the Criminal Code to specifically criminalize femicide.

Excessive use of force and ill-treatment

16.The Committee is gravely concerned about reports of the use of excessive and deadly force by the police and other law enforcement officials, particularly against peaceful protesters and journalists, including the deployment of tear gas, chemical irritants, water cannons and stun grenades, causing serious injuries. While noting that the Ombudsman’s Office is authorized to investigate and file cases against law enforcement officials, the Committee has received reports that the Office does not investigate all allegations of excessive use of force in a timely and effective manner (arts. 2, 6 and 7).

17. The State party should:

(a) Ensure that all allegations of excessive use of force and ill-treatment by law enforcement officials are promptly and thoroughly investigated by an independent authority, that alleged perpetrators are prosecuted and, if found to be responsible, are appropriately punished and that victims and/or their families receive adequate compensation;

(b) Provide the Ombudsman ’ s Office with adequate resources to ensure timely and effective investigations into allegations of excessive use of force by the police and other law enforcement officials;

(c) Take measures to prevent and eliminate the excessive use of force by law enforcement officials, including by enhancing training programmes focusing on the Covenant, the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, the United Nations Human Rights Guidance on Less-Lethal Weapons in Law Enforcement and on de-escalation techniques.

Trafficking in persons

18.The Committee welcomes the measures adopted to combat trafficking in persons, including the adoption of the National Action Plan 2019–2023 for the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Human Beings and the Protection and Rehabilitation of Victims and its forthcoming update, as well as the establishment of the National Referral Mechanism for the Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking. The Committee is concerned that the information provided by the State party is limited, in particular regarding the implementation of the National Action Plan, the capacity and number of shelters for victims of trafficking and the number of investigations, prosecutions and convictions carried out in cases of trafficking and the reparations provided to victims of trafficking (arts. 2, 8 and 26).

19. The State party should further strengthen its efforts to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, including by:

(a) Effectively implementing the National Action Plan 2019–2023 for the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Human Beings and the Protection and Rehabilitation of Victims, and ensuring its effectiveness is periodically assessed;

(b) Increasing the number of shelters for victims of trafficking in persons throughout the State party and ensuring the provision of adequate and accessible legal, medical and psychosocial assistance in those shelters;

(c) Investigating all cases of trafficking in persons promptly and thoroughly, prosecuting suspected perpetrators and, if convicted, imposing adequate sanctions and ensuring that victims have access to full reparation, including adequate compensation, rehabilitation and reintegration;

(d) Ensuring that sufficient financial, technical and human resources are allocated to all institutions responsible for preventing, combating and punishing trafficking in persons, as well as to those providing protection and assistance, including civil society organizations.

Treatment of aliens, including migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers

20.While the Committee appreciates the significant efforts made by the State party to respond to the large influx of asylum-seekers, refugees and migrants, it remains gravely concerned about multiple reports of pushbacks at the State party’s sea and land borders, in violation of the principle of non-refoulement. In this regard, the Committee is deeply concerned by allegations of excessive use of force, ill-treatment, incommunicado detention and a lack of procedural and legal guarantees in the context of pushback operations, as well as the detention of third-country nationals in pre-removal detention centres without any tangible prospect of return. The Committee is also concerned about the lack of systematic investigations into allegations of pushbacks and the lack of accountability for alleged violations. The Committee deplores the deaths of hundreds of migrants in the shipwreck off the coast of Pylos in June 2023 (arts. 6, 7, 9 and 10).

21. The State party should:

(a) Cease the alleged practice of arbitrary and collective expulsion of aliens, establish effective safeguards to prevent coercion in cases of voluntary return and conduct objective individualized assessments of the level of protection available in third countries deemed to be safe;

(b) Ensure that the principle of non-refoulement is protected in law and strictly adhered to in practice, and that all asylum-seekers, regardless of their mode of arrival in Greece, have access to fair and efficient asylum status determination procedures and effective protection against non-refoulement;

(c) Ensure that excessive use of force is not applied to migrants or asylum ‑ seekers and that all allegations of pushbacks, including excessive use of force and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, of migrants are promptly and thoroughly investigated and perpetrators are prosecuted and, if found guilty, punished with appropriate sanctions, and sufficient reparations provided to the victims;

(d) Affirm the independence and impartiality of the monitoring mechanisms involved in investigating violations of the human rights of migrants and asylum-seekers at borders, including the National Transparency Authority;

(e) Provide effective alternatives to the detention of migrants and reduce the length and practice of such detention. The State party should ensure that detention is used as a measure of last resort, for the shortest possible period of time, and is reasonable, necessary and proportionate in the light of the individual ’ s circumstances, that it is subject to periodic judicial review, and that asylum-seekers and migrants have access to qualified legal aid when the interests of justice so require;

(f) Increase its efforts to ensure that the Greek authorities, including the Hellenic Coast Guard, prioritize the protection of life, particularly during rescue missions at sea.

Statelessness

22.The Committee remains concerned about barriers to access to Greek nationality on the basis of birth in the State party, particularly for children born to stateless parents who risk remaining stateless. It is also concerned about the lack of laws and procedures in place to determine statelessness in the State party (arts. 2, 24 and 26).

23. The State party should take appropriate measures to ensure that all children born in its territory are registered and receive an official birth certificate. The State party should establish a statelessness determination procedure and consider acceding to the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

Conditions of detention

24.The Committee notes the infrastructural upgrades of detention and reception centres and the State party’s assertion that the main priorities of the migration and asylum policy have been to provide asylum-seekers with safe, decent housing, food, financial aid, emergency healthcare and psychosocial support. Nevertheless, the Committee remains concerned about reports of overcrowding, a lack of healthcare services and deficiencies in those services, and poor food and sanitary conditions in reception and detention centres (arts. 7 and 10).

25. The State party should:

(a) Continue to make efforts to improve conditions of detention so as to ensure full compliance with the Covenant and relevant international human rights standards, including the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules), the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules) and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (the Tokyo Rules), while ensuring that asylum-seekers, refugees and migrants are treated with dignity and humanity. It should also ensure that persons held in all places of deprivation of liberty have adequate access to food, clean water, sanitation, feminine hygienic products and healthcare;

(b) Enhance the measures designed to prevent overcrowding in detention and reception centres, particularly through the wider application of non-custodial measures as an alternative to imprisonment;

(c) Increase its efforts to ensure that persons deprived of liberty are treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person.

Conditions in psychiatric institutions

26.The Committee is concerned about the living conditions and treatment of persons in psychiatric institutions, including overcrowding, poor quality of care and the use of physical and chemical restraints, and reports of procedures for involuntary commitment being marked by lengthy delays, a lack of legal counsel or insufficient use of professional ethics on the part of medical staff (arts. 2, 7, 10 and 14).

27. The State party should, as a matter of urgency, ensure that the treatment of persons in psychiatric institutions is in conformity with the Covenant by:

(a) Improving living conditions and treatment in public care facilities for persons in psychiatric institutions;

(b) Ensuring that any restrictions are legal, necessary and proportionate to the individual circumstances and include guarantees of an effective remedy;

(c) Strengthening independent monitoring of psychiatric institutions and strengthening complaints mechanisms, thoroughly investigating allegations of abuse, prosecuting those responsible and, if they are convicted, punishing them with sanctions commensurate with the gravity of the crime;

(d) Ensuring that persons with disabilities have access to legal counsel and independent medical professionals in any proceedings to safeguard their rights.

Conscientious objection to compulsory military service

28.The Committee remains concerned about: (a) the length of alternative service for conscientious objectors, which is longer than military service; (b) the composition of the committee responsible for examining applications from citizens to be granted conscientious objector status and its reported lack of independence and impartiality; and (c) reports indicating that conscientious objectors are discriminated against on the basis of the different grounds of objection to military service (arts. 14, 18 and 26).

29. The State party should ensure that its legislation recognizing the right to conscientious objection to military service encompasses an alternative to military service that is accessible to all conscientious objectors and is not punitive or discriminatory in terms of its nature, cost or duration. The State party should also consider placing the assessment of applications for conscientious objector status under the full control of civilian authorities.

Freedom of expression

30.The Committee takes note of the adoption of Law No. 5005/2022 on strengthening the publicity and transparency of print and electronic media, which provides for the establishment of an independent committee in charge of overseeing the compliance of print and online media with journalistic ethics. Nevertheless, the Committee is concerned that the law may be misused to exclude media that are critical of the Government from receiving State advertising revenue. It is also concerned about reports that local officials file strategic lawsuits against public participation to suppress critical news reporting and put financial and psychological pressure on journalists. While noting the adoption in January 2021 of the National Plan for the Management of Public Outdoor Assemblies, which authorizes police to demarcate a specific area for voluntary use by journalists during public demonstrations, the Committee is also concerned that it unduly restricts freedom of expression and limits journalists’ access to critical information about matters of public concern (art. 19).

31. The State party should take all the measures necessary to guarantee the full enjoyment by everyone of the right to freedom of expression, in accordance with article 19 of the Covenant and the Committee ’ s general comment No. 34 (2011) on the freedoms of opinion and expression, and to guarantee that any restrictions comply with the strict requirements of article 19 (3) of the Covenant. In particular, the State party should:

(a) Effectively prevent and combat acts of harassment, intimidation and violence against journalists and media workers to ensure that they can carry out their work without fear of violence or reprisals;

(b) Fully implement the April 2022 recommendation of the European Commission concerning the protection of journalists from strategic lawsuits against public participation and revise its national legal framework to protect journalists against retaliatory lawsuits;

(c) Ensure that Law No. 5005/2022 on strengthening the publicity and transparency of print and electronic media does not discriminate against online media.

Human rights defenders

32.The Committee is concerned at reports of an increasingly hostile environment towards human rights defenders, particularly those working with refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants, including reports of smear campaigns, intimidation, harassment and threats. The Committee is particularly concerned about the legal harassment of and criminal charges against human rights defenders, in particular the travel ban and asset freezing imposed on Panayote Dimitras from the Greek Helsinki Monitor. In this regard, the Committee regrets the fact that the State party did not provide information on the case of Mr. Dimitras (arts. 19 and 22).

33. The State party should take appropriate measures to ensure a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders, including:

(a) Enhancing its efforts to combat and prevent all forms of violence and threats against, and the harassment and intimidation of, human rights defenders and other civil society actors, taking all measures necessary to guarantee their effective protection and ensuring that they can freely carry out their work without fear of violence or reprisals , including arbitrary detention, travel bans, asset freezing or prosecution;

(b) Ensuring that all human rights violations, including harassment and attacks, against human rights defenders are promptly and thoroughly investigated, that perpetrators brought to justice and, if found guilty, duly punished, and that victims receive sufficient reparations;

(c) Adopting legislation and policies to protect human rights defenders and guaranteeing their rights, in accordance with the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Right of peaceful assembly

34.The Committee is concerned about the installation and use of surveillance systems, and the lack of effective oversight and objective criteria for identifying persons and places subjected to surveillance and determining the maximum length of storage of surveillance data. The Committee notes that, while Law No. 4703/2020 provides for an exception to the requirement to provide notification for spontaneous assemblies, the conditions for the exception are vague, which raises concerns about the suppression of such assemblies. The Committee is also concerned about other provisions in that law that impose financial liability on assembly organizers for any harm suffered or for damages to property inflicted by assembly participants. It is further concerned about the imposition on peaceful assemblies of blanket bans, which are presumptively disproportionate (art. 21).

35. In the light of the Committee ’ s general comment No. 37 (2020) on the right of peaceful assembly, the State party should:

(a) Establish strict safeguards and effective oversight for identifying individuals and locations subjected to surveillance and limit the length of storage of the surveillance data;

(b) Amend Law No. 4703/2020 with a view to ensuring that all individuals fully enjoy their right to freedom of assembly, including the right of spontaneous assembly, and that any restrictions imposed are in compliance with the strict requirements of article 21 of the Covenant;

(c) Ensure that any limitations placed on the right of peaceful assembly are in full compliance with articles 17 and 21 of the Covenant and adhere to the principles of legality, proportionality and necessity.

Freedom of association

36.The Committee remains concerned about the stringent registration and financial requirements imposed on civil society organizations, in particular those working in the areas of migration, asylum and social integration. It notes that in Law No. 4825/2021 on the deportations and return procedures of third-country nationals, article 40 requires organizations and their natural persons to register with the Greek registries in order to be able to conduct their operations legally (art. 22).

37. The State party should take all steps necessary to guarantee, in law and in practice, the effective exercise of the right to freedom of association and to ensure that any restrictions imposed are in strict compliance with article 22 of the Covenant. It should also take appropriate measures to ensure a safe and enabling environment for civil society organizations, including by considering reviewing article 40 of Law No. 4825/2021 on the deportations and return procedures of third-country nationals with a view to removing unduly restrictive requirements regarding the registration and funding of such organizations.

Rights of minorities

38.The Committee welcomes the recognition by the State party of the Muslim minority in the region of Thrace. Nevertheless, it is concerned at the insufficient guarantees for the equal and effective enjoyment of one’s culture, profession and practice of one’s religion and use of one’s language by all persons, including persons claiming to belong to ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities (art. 27).

39. In line with the Committee ’ s previous recommendation, the State party should ensure that all persons belonging to ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities are effectively protected against any form of discrimination and can fully enjoy their rights under the Covenant, including under article 27.

D.Dissemination and follow-up

40. The State party should widely disseminate the Covenant, the first Optional Protocol thereto, its third periodic report and the present concluding observations, with a view to raising awareness of the rights enshrined in the Covenant among the judicial, legislative and administrative authorities, civil society and non-governmental organizations operating in the country and the general public. The State party should ensure that the periodic report and the present concluding observations are translated into the official language of the State party.

41. In accordance with rule 75 (1) of the Committee ’ s rules of procedure, the State party is requested to provide, by 8 November 2027, information on the implementation of the recommendations made by the Committee in paragraphs 16 (excessive use of force and ill-treatment), 20 (treatment of aliens, including migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers) and 32 (human rights defenders) above.

42. In line with the Committee ’ s predictable review cycle, the State party will receive in 2030 the Committee ’ s list of issues prior to the submission of the report and will be expected to submit within one year its replies, which will constitute its fourth periodic report. The Committee also requests the State party, in preparing the report, to broadly consult civil society and non-governmental organizations operating in the country. In accordance with General Assembly resolution 68/268, the word limit for the report is 21,200 words. The next constructive dialogue with the State party will take place in Geneva in 2032.