International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights was adopted in 1966, entered into force in 1976 and addresses fundamental human rights, often referred to as first generation human rights. The covenant combines protective rights, civil liberties and political rights. It guarantees the right to life, the prohibition of slavery and forced labour, the right to personal freedom and safety, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, as well as the right to general, equal and secret elections. Furthermore, the Covenant covers equality, protection of minorities and hate speech. Signatories are obliged to submit an initial report one year after their accession to the Covenant and from then on based on request, which is usually every four years. The monitoring body (CCPR) assesses the submissions and provides feedback and recommendations to the country in their "concluding observations". The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is part of the 15 core conventions which are covered under the EU's GSP.

CCPR / UN