The Human Rights Committee has adopted a List of issuesto which Montenegro as a State Party needs to answer before the session at which the Committee will formally consider the Report on the implementation of the Covenant.
According to the list adopted by the Committee, Montenegro needs to respond to priority issues concerning the guarantees of an effective legal remedy, prohibition of discrimination, the protection of equal rights of men and women, children’s rights, the right to life and protection from torture, protection of privacy rights and the rights refugees and internally displaced persons, particularly Roma and Egyptians. The recommendations of CEDEM and YIHR particularly pointed the importance of reviewing the effectiveness of the constitutional appeal as a mechanism to protect the constitutional rights and freedoms, as well as the effectiveness of anti-discrimination mechanisms which are still not practical and effective in all cases of violation of equality.
In addition, CEDEM and YIHR recommended for the State to submit data relating to war crimes and protection of the rights of victims of these crimes; status of detainees, especially users of psychoactive substances, as well as persons who are placed in psychiatric institutions; data concerningthe prosecution of attacks on life and property of journalists as well as the investigation of the cases of torture committed by police officers. CEDEM and YIHR also pointed out the position of minorities, especially Roma and Egyptiansin relation to their effective access to free legal aid, the provision of court interpreters for the Romani language and the prosecution of cases of child labor and forced and early marriages.
The Report of Montenegro will be considered at the 112th session of the Committee, which will be held from 7 – 31 October 2014.
Nenad Koprivica , executive director of CEDEM
Boris Raonić , president of the Civic Alliance
