A two-day hearing of the 5th periodic report submitted by the Republic of Cyprus in July 2020 on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that includes rights related to asylum, immigration, violence against women, prison issues, was successfully concluded before the competent UN Committee in Geneva.
In a statement to CNA, Law Commissioner, Louiza Zannetou, head of the Cypriot delegation, explained that the Committee actually monitors the Republic's compliance to the Covenant.
Zannetou stated that the mission comprised Police, Ministry of the Interior, Deputy Welfare Ministry, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labor and the Department of Prisons officers and was supported by the Permanent Representation of the Republic in Geneva.
She said that they had been asked a lot of questions about the specific articles of the Covenant dealing with asylum, immigration, juvenile offenders, violence against women, detention, prisons, welfare, employment, gender equality and so on. The questions, she added, were answered and the Republic has the right to submit additional answers within 48 hours for any issues that could not be answered due to strict time limits.
The first evaluation will follow, she added, noting that the Chair and most members of the aforementioned Committee congratulated the Cypriot team for the hearing.
The final report of the UN Committee, she noted, will offer guidance to the Republic for legislation, action plans and state policies, so that Cyprus achieves full compliance with the civil and political rights pact
Source: Cyprus News Agency