Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

Article 1(a) of the Convention. Penal sanctions involving compulsory labour as a punishment for holding or expressing political views or views ideologically opposed to the established political, social or economic system. For a number of years, the Committee has been referring to the following provisions of the Penal Code, under which prison sentences involving an obligation to perform labour may be imposed:

–           sections 184(3), 197(1)(a) and 240 concerning, among others, the publication and propagation of news, information, false or self-interested statements, biased or inciting propaganda concerning internal affairs of the country which reduces the prestige and standing of the State, or for the purpose of harming public interest and goods; and

–           section 221(1), (4) and (5) concerning a person who creates, establishes, organizes or administers an organization in the name of a party, society, union or group with the aim of disturbing and nullifying one of the basic and accepted national values in the political, social, economic or cultural spheres of the State, or engages in propaganda to promote or attract members to such organization, by whatever means, or who joins such an organization or develops contacts personally or through a third party with such an organization or one of its branches.

The Committee pointed out, referring to paragraphs 154 and 163 of its 2007 General Survey on the eradication of forced labour, that the Convention does not prohibit punishment by penalties involving compulsory labour of persons who use violence, incite to violence or engage in preparatory acts aimed at violence. Sanctions, however, involving compulsory labour fall within the scope of the Convention when they enforce a prohibition of the peaceful expression of views or of opposition to the established political, social or economic system. A similar situation arises when certain political views are prohibited, subject to penalties involving compulsory labour, as a consequence of the prohibition of political parties or associations.

The Committee reiterates its hopes that these penal provisions will be re-examined in the light of the Convention with a view to ensuring that no sanctions involving forced or compulsory labour may be imposed as a punishment for holding or expressing political or ideological views and that the Government will indicate, in its next report, the measures taken or envisaged to this end.