The Government of the Republic of Croatia has already appointed its Delegation to the meeting with the Human Rights Committee related to consideration of the Second Periodical Report of the Republic of Croatia on the application of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Delegation shall be composed of 17 government officials, mostly director generals, heads of government offices and heads of sectors of the relevant ministries, offices and departments.

The Center for Human Rights Zagreb have submitted their Replies to the List of Issues for the Second Periodic Report for Croatia made by the Croatian Government. They have given their answers regarding:

  • Constitutional and Legal framework within which the Covenant is implemented;
  • Discrimination (Roma and Serbian minority), gender equality, domestic violence;
  • Hate crimes and hate speech;
  • Rights to life and prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment;
  • Elimination of slavery and servitude;
  • Liberty and security of the person and treatment of prisoners;
  • Right to a fair trial and right to be recognized as a person before law;
  • Freedom of expression;
  • Right to take part in the conduct of public affairs and rights of persons belonging to minorities;
  • Dissemination of information relating to the Covenant and the Optional Protocol.

The Center for Human Rights Zagreb concluded that only an extensive, open and participatory process of consultation could lead to a comprehensive elaboration of the Second periodic report for Croatia.

Croatian organizations for human rights: Center for Dealing With the Past – Documenta, Civic Committee for Human Rights – GOLJP and Centre for Peace, Non-Violence and Human Rights Osijek, have focused in their report on war crimes trial and their effect on the process of dealing with the past, since all three organizations have been monitoring those issues systematically since 2004. They have pointed out issues relating to:

  • Practical application and interpretation of the Amnesty Law;
  • Investigation of war crimes;
  • Prosecution of war crimes;
  • Trials in absentia.

The Human Rights Committee is the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by its State parties.

All States parties are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how the rights are being implemented. States must report initially one year after acceding to the Covenant and then whenever the Committee requests (usually every four years). The Committee examines each report and addresses its concerns and recommendations to the State party in the form of "concluding observations”.

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