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Universal Periodic Review 32: Comoros

The UK welcomed Comoros’ ratification of conventions regarding disability and torture since their last UPR, but highlighted concerns about restrictions to media freedom.

• From: UK Mission to the WTO, UN and Other International Organisations (Geneva)
• Published: 25 January 2019

This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government

Thank you, Madam Vice-President.

The UK recognises Comoros’s engagement in the UPR process and we welcome the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2016 and the ratification of the Convention against Torture (CAT) in May 2017. We urge the Government to sign and ratify the OPCAT, which would help the Government to establish a National Preventative Mechanism.

The UK is encouraged that Comoros has not carried out death sentences for some years but we regret that the death penalty has not yet been abolished.

The UK also remains concerned by recent restrictions on media freedom as well as provisions that give rise to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

We recommend:

1. Approving the bill in the National Assembly to ratify the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, and consider ratifying the ILO 2014 Protocol to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (P029).

2. Addressing restrictions on media freedom by establishing robust mechanisms to ensure greater pluralism of views in mainstream and online media.

3. Ratifying the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Thank you.

Published 25 January 2019