Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2003, published 92nd ILC session (2004)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report contains no reply to previous comments. It hopes that the next report will include full information on the following matters raised in its previous direct request.

Article 1(1) and Article 2(1) and (2)(c) of the Convention. In its previous comments, the Committee had recalled that the exception provided for in Article 2(2)(c) of the Convention relates only to conviction in a court of law and that work imposed by administrative or other non-judicial authorities does not fall within the scope of the exception. The Committee noted in this respect the Government’s indication that there were no cases in which authorities other than judicial authorities could impose work on prisoners. The Committee expressed the hope that the Bill on the enforcement of penalties would contain the specifications necessary to avoid any uncertainty in law in this respect.

The Government states in its report that the above Bill which, according to the information provided previously, was under discussion in specialized parliamentary committees, has not yet been adopted. The Committee trusts that a Bill which is in keeping with the Convention will be adopted in the near future and that the Government will not fail to provide a copy, as soon as it is adopted.