Human Rights Committee
Concluding observations on the third periodic report of Chad *
1.The Committee considered the third periodic report of Chad at its 4268th and 4269th meetings, held on 5 and 6 March 2026. At its 4283rd meeting, held on 17 March 2026, it adopted the present concluding observations.
A.Introduction
2.The Committee welcomes the submission of the third periodic report of Chad and the information presented therein. It expresses its 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 is grateful to the State Party for its written replies to the list of issues, which were supplemented by the oral responses provided by the delegation.
B.Positive aspects
3.The Committee welcomes the following legislative measures taken by the State Party:
(a)Act No. 029/PR/2015 prohibiting child marriage, in 2015;
(b)Act No. 001/PR/2017, the Criminal Code, in 2017;
(c)Act No. 012/PR/2017, the Code of Criminal Procedure, in 2017;
(d)Act No. 012/PR/2018 on combating trafficking in persons in Chad, in 2018;
(e)Act No. 028/PR/2018 on the powers, organization and functioning of the National Human Rights Commission, in 2018;
(f)Act No. 021/PR/2019 governing legal aid and legal assistance, in 2019;
(g)Ordinance No. 003/PR/2025 on the prevention and prosecution of violence against women and girls, in 2025.
4.The Committee welcomes the adoption by the State Party of the following policy measures:
(a)The National Strategy for Universal Health Coverage in Chad and the Strategic Plan for the Development of Human Resources for Health in Chad 2013–2020;
(b)The National Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants in Chad 2025–2027.
5.The Committee welcomes the ratification of, or accession to, the following international instruments by the State Party:
(a)The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, on 22 February 2022;
(b)The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, on 20 June 2019;
(c)The United Nations Convention against Corruption, on 26 June 2018;
(d)The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, on 27 January 2016;
(e)The African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, on 3 March 2015.
C.Principal matters of concern and recommendations
Constitutional and legal framework within which the Covenant is implemented
6.The Committee regrets the lack of information provided on cases in which the Covenant has been invoked by national courts and the lack of measures taken to disseminate the Covenant and the first Optional Protocol thereto among judges, lawyers, prosecutors and the general public. While welcoming the establishment, in 2022, of an interministerial standing committee responsible for follow-up regarding international human rights instruments and the preparation of reports to the treaty bodies, the Committee is concerned about that committee’s limited operational capacity to fulfil its mandate. The Committee regrets that a national human rights policy has not yet been adopted (art. 2).
7. The State Party should:
(a) Promote the effective application of the provisions of the Covenant before national courts, including through training provided to lawyers, prosecutors and judges, include the Covenant in legal education curricula and take appropriate measures to raise public awareness of the Covenant and the possibility of submitting individual complaints to the Committee under the first Optional Protocol;
(b) Strengthen the operational capacities of its national mechanism for implementation, reporting and follow-up, including through the allocation of adequate resources;
(c) Expedite efforts to adopt a national human rights policy and ensure that the National Human Rights Commission and civil society organizations are actively involved in the development and implementation of that policy.
National Human Rights Commission
8.While welcoming the establishment of the National Human Rights Commission, the Committee is concerned about reports that the Commission is not fully independent, the indefinite terms of office of its members, its limited financial autonomy, its lack of unimpeded access to places of deprivation of liberty, the lack of systematic follow-up to its reports and recommendations and its lack of cooperation with civil society (art. 2).
9. The State Party should ensure that the National Human Rights Commission complies fully with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles) and, through a transparent budgeting process, provide it with the necessary human and financial resources to ensure that it can fulfil its mandate effectively and independently. The State Party should:
(a) Amend legislation with a view to granting the Commission an express mandate to conduct unannounced visits to places of deprivation of liberty, introducing uniform terms of office and establishing a procedure that explicitly ensures that the Commission ’ s reports are widely disseminated, discussed and routinely reviewed by the legislature;
(b) Promote cooperation between the Commission and civil society organizations.
Past human rights violations, efforts to combat impunity and transitional justice
10.The Committee remains concerned that many victims of the Government of Hissène Habré have not obtained full reparation and that the measures ordered by the Special Criminal Court in N’Djamena have not been implemented. The Committee is also concerned about the lack of accountability in relation to allegations of serious human rights violations, including summary and extrajudicial executions committed during the events in Miandoum in November 2016, Goré in February 2017, Abéché in January 2022 and N’Djamena in October 2022 as well as the killing of Yaya Dillo, leader of the Parti socialiste sans frontières (Socialist Party without Borders), during an operation carried out by the security forces (arts. 2, 6, 7, 9 and 25).
11. The State Party should:
(a) Expedite its efforts to ensure that all victims and their families receive full reparation for the human rights violations that they have suffered and that the measures ordered by the Special Criminal Court in N ’ Djamena, including the construction of a monument dedicated to the victims of the Government of Hissène Habré and the conversion of the former headquarters of the Documentation and Security Directorate into a museum, are fully implemented;
(b) Investigate all allegations of serious human rights violations, prosecute the perpetrators and, if they are convicted, punish them with appropriate penalties, and ensure access to effective remedies for victims;
(c) Encourage national reconciliation, recommend appropriate structural reforms compliant with international law and standards with a view to combating impunity and implement comprehensive transitional justice measures, including truth ‑ seeking mechanisms, victim-centred reparations programmes and guarantees of non-repetition, in accordance with international human rights standards.
States of emergency
12.The Committee is concerned about the number of emergency measures adopted, particularly during the period 2020–2024, and the apparently disproportionate nature of the restrictions imposed on the rights protected by the Covenant. Although states of emergency are provided for under the Constitution, the manner in which they are implemented might not comply with the requirements of article 4 of the Covenant (art. 4).
13. The State Party should:
(a) Ensure that all emergency measures comply fully with article 4 of the Covenant and the Committee ’ s general comment No. 29 (2001) on derogations from provisions of the Covenant during a state of emergency. In particular, in accordance with article 4 (3) of the Covenant, any declaration of a state of emergency and any derogation from the Covenant must be notified to the Secretary-General of the United Nations without delay, together with comprehensive information on the provisions from which the State Party has derogated and the justification for such measures;
(b) Revise its legislation and practices to ensure that any measures that restrict rights under the Covenant during a state of emergency are exceptional, temporary, strictly necessary, proportionate, non-discriminatory and subject to independent judicial oversight.
Non-discrimination and equality between men and women
14.Although the principle of equality and non-discrimination is set forth in the Constitution, the Committee is concerned that the State Party has not adopted comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation. The Committee is also concerned about the persistence of inequalities between men and women with respect to rights, particularly in the areas of inheritance, property rights and marital regimes, both in law and in practice. It is further concerned that the Criminal Code criminalizes sexual relations between consenting adults of the same sex (arts. 2, 3 and 26).
15. In line with the recommendations made by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the State Party should ensure that all persons enjoy the rights set forth in the Covenant without discrimination. The State Party should, in particular :
(a) Adopt comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation that prohibits direct, indirect and intersectional discrimination in the public and private spheres and on all grounds prohibited under the Covenant, and ensure that victims have access to effective and appropriate remedies;
(b) Repeal all discriminatory provisions from its legislation and adopt, among other measures, the draft persons and family code to address the inequality between men and women with respect to rights, particularly in the areas of inheritance, property rights and marital regimes;
(c) Decriminalize consensual sexual relations between adults of the same sex.
Violence against women, including domestic violence
16.The Committee is concerned about the prevalence of cases of domestic violence and gender-based violence, which are often underreported due to a lack of legal and social assistance and limited trust in the judicial system. The Committee is also concerned about the inadequacy of protection and assistance measures for victims of gender-based violence, particularly shelter and rehabilitation services (arts. 3, 6, 7 and 26).
17. In line with the recommendations made by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the State Party should strengthen its efforts to eliminate and prevent gender-based violence, including domestic violence, and should:
(a) Strengthen mechanisms to facilitate, encourage and assist the reporting of cases of violence against women and girls, including by ensuring that all women have access to information about their rights, protection measures and remedies;
(b) Ensure that all cases of violence against women and girls are promptly and thoroughly investigated and that the perpetrators are prosecuted and, if convicted, punished in accordance with the seriousness of the offence;
(c) Provide victims with the necessary legal, medical, financial and psychological support, including access to shelters;
(d) Ensure that judges, prosecutors, lawyers, law enforcement officers and healthcare personnel receive appropriate training to enable them to identify and deal with cases of gender-based violence in an effective and gender-sensitive manner;
(e) Conduct awareness-raising campaigns about the unacceptability and adverse effects of violence against women and the avenues available for obtaining protection, assistance and redress.
Harmful traditional practices, infant and maternal mortality and sexual and reproductive rights
18.The Committee is deeply concerned that, despite the legal prohibition on female genital mutilation and child marriage and the adoption of a road map to combat such crimes, these harmful practices remain highly prevalent in most communities across the country, particularly in rural areas. It regrets the lack of statistical data and the low rate of prosecution of the perpetrators of these harmful practices. The Committee is concerned about the high rates of infant and maternal mortality, which are due to limited access to healthcare, particularly in conflict zones, and the low rate of skilled birth attendance, and about the large number of teenage pregnancies (arts. 3, 6, 7, 24 and 26).
19. In line with the recommendations made by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the State Party should:
(a) Ensure the effective enforcement of its national legislation prohibiting all forms of female genital mutilation and child marriage and complement that legislation with comprehensive policies, community-based programmes and behaviour change initiatives aimed at eliminating the root causes of those practices, with the participation of community, religious and traditional leaders as well as civil society organizations;
(b) Ensure that all cases of female genital mutilation and child marriage are investigated, that the perpetrators are prosecuted and, if found guilty, punished with proportionate penalties and that victims have access to effective remedies and legal, medical and psychosocial assistance;
(c) Strengthen non-discriminatory access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including in rural areas, with a view to significantly reducing the maternal and infant mortality rates;
(d) Facilitate access for women, men, girls and boys to evidence-based information and education about sexual and reproductive health and rights and to a wide range of safe and affordable contraceptive methods.
Right to life
20.The Committee is concerned about reports of summary and extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances and about the lack of independent investigations into those violations. While noting that a disarmament programme is under way to reduce the circulation and use of firearms, the Committee is concerned about the violence allegedly committed by rebel movements in the north and by Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa in the Lake Chad region and about conflicts between herders and farmers in the south. The Committee regrets that the draft pastoral code, which would make it possible to prevent and resolve those conflicts, has not yet been adopted. It is also concerned that the investigation report of the Economic Community of Central African States on the use of force during the events of October 2022 has not been published and that the amnesty of 2023 in connection with those events is depriving victims of the right to seek justice and giving rise to impunity for serious human rights violations. The Committee welcomes the abolition of the death penalty for all offences under the Criminal Code of 2017 and Act No. 003/PR/2020, the Counter-Terrorism Act, in addition to the State Party’s undertaking to accede to the Second Optional Protocol to the Covenant, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. However, the Committee is concerned about the establishment, pursuant to Decree No. 82 of 23 June 2025, of a commission tasked with considering the possibility of reinstating the death penalty (art. 6).
21. The State Party should:
(a) Ensure that all alleged cases of summary and extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances are investigated promptly, thoroughly and impartially, that searches are conducted to locate disappeared persons, that the perpetrators are prosecuted and punished and that the victims receive full reparation;
(b) Vigorously continue disarmament programmes, in particular by raising public awareness of the ban on firearm possession and encouraging civilians to surrender their weapons, strengthen its warning and alert systems and intervene in a timely manner to protect the civilian population;
(c) Finalize and adopt the draft pastoral code, in consultation with the affected communities;
(d) Publish the investigation report of the Economic Community of Central African States on the use of force during the events of 2022;
(e) Ensure that the amnesty of 2023 does not deprive victims of their right to justice and does not give rise to impunity for serious human rights violations;
(f) Refrain, in the light of the Committee ’ s general comment No. 36 (2018) on the right to life, from any attempt to reinstate the death penalty, and expedite its accession to the Second Optional Protocol to the Covenant, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty.
Prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
22.The Committee is deeply concerned about reports that there has been an increase in cases of arbitrary detention and torture by the security forces, including agents of the National Security Agency. The Committee is also concerned about reports of widespread torture and ill-treatment in places of deprivation of liberty, the absence of complaint mechanisms and the lack of investigations into allegations of such acts. The Committee takes note of the information regarding the discussions held by the State Party with a view to ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (arts. 6, 7, 9 and 10).
23. The State Party should take all measures necessary to prevent and eradicate torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. In particular, it should:
(a) Conduct prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into all allegations of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment, ensuring that perpetrators are prosecuted and, if found guilty, are punished with penalties commensurate with the seriousness of the offence, and provide effective remedies for the victims, including physical and mental rehabilitation;
(b) Ensure that investigations into allegations of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment and relevant medical examinations are conducted in line with the Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Istanbul Protocol) and the Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death;
(c) Provide mandatory training on human rights for judges, prosecutors, lawyers and law enforcement officers, including training on international human rights standards such as the Principles on Effective Interviewing for Investigations and Information-Gathering (the Méndez Principles);
(d) Ensure that all persons deprived of their liberty have access to an independent and effective complaints mechanism for the investigation of allegations of torture and ill-treatment;
(e) Collect and make publicly available disaggregated data on the number of independent and impartial investigations conducted into allegations and complaints of ill-treatment, on the outcome of any such investigations, on reparations provided to victims and on any perpetrators of such acts who have been brought to justice;
(f) Ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.
Prohibition of trafficking in persons
24.While welcoming the adoption, in 2018, of the law on combating trafficking in persons, the adoption of the National Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants in Chad 2025–2027, the establishment of the National Commission to Combat Trafficking in Persons in 2021, the creation of a specialized police unit and other efforts to combat trafficking in persons, the Committee is concerned about reports that trafficking in persons, particularly women and girls for purposes of sexual exploitation and children for purposes of forced labour, remains widespread in the State Party, particularly in rural areas. The Committee is concerned about the limited access to justice, rehabilitation and support for victims and the low number of prosecutions initiated (arts. 8, 24 and 26).
25. The State Party should intensify its efforts to prevent, combat and punish trafficking in persons. To that end, it should:
(a) Fully implement the National Plan of Action and ensure that the National Commission to Combat Trafficking in Persons has sufficient human and financial resources to effectively discharge its mandate;
(b) Ensure that all cases of trafficking are promptly and thoroughly investigated and that the perpetrators are prosecuted and, if convicted, punished in accordance with the seriousness of the offence;
(c) Ensure that victims have access to effective protection and assistance, including safe shelters, medical and psychosocial care, legal assistance and rehabilitation services, and that they receive full reparation, including compensation;
(d) Strengthen public awareness-raising campaigns and specialized training for all relevant officials, including judges and prosecutors, lawyers, members of the prosecutorial authorities and law enforcement officers, on standards and procedures for the prevention of trafficking and the identification, referral and rights of victims.
Liberty and security of person and conditions of detention
26.The Committee is concerned about the frequency of prolonged pretrial detention and the non-observance of fundamental legal safeguards from the outset of deprivation of liberty, such as the right of all detained persons to be informed of the charges against them and the right to have access to a lawyer or a doctor. It is also concerned about the conditions of detention – in particular, about overcrowding, food shortages, physical abuse, poor ventilation, unsanitary conditions and inadequate medical care – and about reports of the existence of secret detention centres in the State Party. It is further concerned about cases of deaths in custody, including the reported deaths of 44 prisoners alleged to be members of Boko Haram at the gendarmerie prison in N’Djamena in April 2020 (arts. 9, 10 and 14).
27. In the light of the Committee ’ s general comment No. 35 (2014) on liberty and security of person, the State Party should intensify its efforts to reduce the use of pretrial detention, including through the wider application of non-custodial measures as alternatives to imprisonment, and ensure that conditions of detention fully comply with 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). It should also ensure that all persons deprived of their liberty are afforded, in law and in practice, all fundamental legal safeguards from the outset of their detention. In particular, the State Party should:
(a) Adopt effective measures to reduce prison overcrowding, including by favouring alternative measures to detention;
(b) Improve conditions of detention, including by building new facilities or renovating existing ones, and ensure adequate access to food, drinking water, ventilation and healthcare, including mental healthcare services, in all places of deprivation of liberty;
(c) Promote the use of non-custodial measures and ensure that pretrial detention is used only as an exceptional, necessary and proportionate measure, for the shortest time possible, and is subject to regular judicial review;
(d) Ensure independent and regular monitoring of all places of deprivation of liberty and guarantee that persons deprived of their liberty have access to an independent and effective complaints mechanism, ensuring prompt, confidential and direct access to monitoring bodies and effective remedies, in accordance with article 2 (3) of the Covenant.
Independence of the judiciary and access to justice
28.Although the Constitution reaffirms the independence of the judiciary, the Committee is concerned about reports that the judiciary is subject to interference by the executive branch, political interference and corruption. The Committee is also concerned about the limited access to legal aid and the significant costs associated with legal proceedings, which are prohibitive for many victims of violations of the rights guaranteed by the Covenant (arts. 2 (3) and 14).
29. The State Party should continue its efforts to reform the judicial system, including by:
(a) Building the capacities of the judicial system by providing it with financial resources and ensuring the training of judges and prosecutors;
(b) Ensuring, both in law and in practice, the full independence, impartiality and security of judges, prosecutors and lawyers and preventing them from being influenced in their work by any form of political or other pressure;
(c) Establishing a legal aid system with sufficient resources and ensuring that free legal assistance is provided in a timely manner in all cases where the interests of justice so require.
Freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly
30.The Committee is concerned about the severe restrictions on freedom of expression and the restricted civic space in the State Party, owing in particular to the overly broad and vague provisions of article 343 of the Criminal Code. The Committee is deeply concerned about the large number of reports of threats, harassment and reprisals against political opponents, journalists, civil society representatives and human rights defenders. The Committee is concerned about Ordinances No. 011/PT/2023 on public demonstrations and No. 009/PT/2023 on assemblies, which restrict the right of peaceful assembly, particularly by imposing the requirement to obtain prior authorization and providing for severe penalties and the use of force against demonstrators. It is concerned about recurring allegations of excessive use of force against demonstrators, particularly during the October 2022 demonstrations, reports of detentions, torture and ill-treatment of demonstrators held at the prison in Koro Toro and the lack of measures to hold those responsible for those violations accountable. The Committee is also concerned about the imposition of Internet shutdowns and the suspension of media outlets. The Committee regrets that the bill to protect human rights defenders has not yet been adopted (arts. 19 and 21).
31. In the light of the Committee ’ s general comment No. 34 (2011) on the freedoms of opinion and expression and general comment No. 37 (2020) on the right of peaceful assembly, the State Party should:
(a) Promote free and pluralistic media and ensure that any restrictions imposed on the activities of the press and media, including the Internet and digital communications, are fully compatible with article 19 (3) of the Covenant and are strictly necessary, proportionate and time-bound;
(b) Take all necessary measures to protect political opponents, journalists, human rights defenders and civil society representatives from threats and intimidation and to investigate, prosecute and convict the perpetrators of such acts;
(c) Expedite the adoption of the bill on the protection of human rights defenders;
(d) Foster an environment conducive to the exercise of the right of peaceful assembly, ensure that all restrictions strictly comply with the criteria set out in the Covenant, amend Ordinances No. 009/PT/2023 and No. 011/PT/2023 and replace the requirement to obtain prior authorization with a prior notification procedure;
(e) Conduct prompt, impartial and effective investigations into all cases involving the excessive use of force for the dispersal of demonstrations, bring the perpetrators to justice and provide redress to the victims;
(f) Ensure that the use of force by law enforcement officers strictly complies with the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality and accountability, in accordance with international human rights standards, and provide appropriate training to judges, prosecutors, lawyers and public officials on the right of peaceful assembly and to law enforcement officers on the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials and the United Nations Human Rights Guidance on Less-Lethal Weapons in Law Enforcement.
Treatment of refugees, asylum-seekers and displaced persons
32.The Committee takes note of the high number of refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced persons in the State Party and welcomes the adoption, in 2020, of Act No. 027/PR/2020 on asylum in the Republic of Chad, which provides for the enjoyment by all refugees and asylum-seekers of the rights to education, healthcare and work on an equal footing with Chadian citizens and the recognition of their identity documents and strengthens the National Commission for the Reception and Reintegration of Refugees and Returnees. The Committee is concerned, however, about the living conditions of those persons – in particular, about overcrowding and the lack of food, shelter, and medical care, especially in refugee camps – and about reports of violence, including sexual violence and assaults, particularly against women and children (arts. 2, 7, 24 and 26).
33. The State Party should ensure the safety and protection of all refugees, asylum ‑ seekers and internally displaced persons, particularly women and children, improve general conditions in refugee camps, take measures to prevent violence, conduct prompt, impartial and effective investigations into all allegations of violence, bring alleged perpetrators to justice and provide victims with fair redress.
Rights of the child
34.The Committee is concerned that, despite the national programme for the demobilization and reintegration of children associated with armed forces or armed groups, children reportedly continue to be recruited and used in armed conflict in the State Party (arts. 7 and 24).
35. The State Party should take all necessary measures to prevent, detect and eradicate the recruitment and use of child soldiers, ensure their prompt disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration and reunite them with their families, while respecting the principle of the best interests of the child.
Anti-corruption measures
36.Although the Committee welcomes the establishment of the Independent Anti‑Corruption Authority in 2023 and the other measures taken to combat corruption, it is concerned about the high prevalence of corruption, particularly within law enforcement agencies and the judiciary, the lack of transparency pervading all sectors of the State Party and the inadequacy of investigations conducted into allegations of corruption (art. 25).
37. The State Party should strengthen efforts to prevent and eradicate corruption at all levels. In particular, it should:
(a) Ensure that all allegations of corruption, at all levels, are investigated in a transparent, prompt, thorough, independent and impartial manner, that perpetrators are prosecuted and, if found guilty, punished in accordance with the seriousness of the offence and that victims receive redress;
(b) Provide the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority with sufficient resources to enable it to fulfil its mandate effectively, ensure that it can operate independently and transparently and ensure that its decisions are widely disseminated;
(c) Implement training and awareness-raising campaigns to inform public officials, politicians, the business community and the general public about the economic and social costs of corruption and the mechanisms in place to report cases.
Participation in public affairs
38.While welcoming the adoption of the ordinance on gender parity in elected and appointed office in Chad, which provides, inter alia, for a 30% quota for female candidates in elections, the Committee wishes to express concern about the limited participation in public affairs in general, particularly with regard to the restricted space available to the political opposition to conduct its activities, the suspension of political parties’ activities prior to elections, the harassment of political opponents, the lack of independence of the national electoral commission and the extension of the presidential term limit (art. 25).
39. The State Party should:
(a) Ensure the right of every citizen to participate in public affairs in accordance with the Covenant and the Committee ’ s general comment No. 25 (1996) on participation in public affairs and the right to vote;
(b) Promote genuine political pluralism and debate and ensure the freedom to engage in political activity individually or through political parties and other organizations, including those representing views critical of the Government, in an environment free from intimidation and the fear of reprisals;
(c) Ensure transparent and inclusive electoral processes, including by ensuring the presence of independent election observers, the independent, inclusive, impartial and transparent functioning of the national electoral commission and the publication of comprehensive and disaggregated electoral data.
D.Dissemination and follow-up
40. T he 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 .
41. I n accordance with rule 75 (1) of the Committee ’ s rules of procedure, the State Party is requested to provide, by 19 March 2029, information on the implementation of the recommendations made by the Committee in paragraphs 9 (National Human Rights Commission), 11 (past human rights violations, efforts to combat impunity and transitional justice) and 21 (Second Optional Protocol to the Covenant, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty) above.
42. I n line with the Committee ’ s predictable review cycle, the State Party will receive in 2032 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 2034.