§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he has urged the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to allow international scrutiny of prisoners subject to the death penalty; [46745]
(2) what representations he has made to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago concerning their withdrawal from the American Convention on Human Rights; [46747]
(3) what assessment he has made of the effect of the withdrawal of Trinidad and Tobago from the American Convention on Human Rights on the human rights situation in that country. [46746]
§ Mr. Tony LloydTogether with our EU partners, we have made representations to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago expressing our deep disappointment at the announcement of their denunciation of the American Convention on Human Rights and the first Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and re-accession to the latter with a reservation on death penalty issues. We also urged Trinidad and Tobago to reconsider their decision before the denunciations take effect.
Until 26 August 1998, Trinidad and Tobago remain party to the first Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which allows for individual petition on all matters covered by the Covenant. After this date, individuals will not be able to petition on death penalty issues. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago have argued that the right of individuals sentenced to death are adequately protected in their domestic appeals system, which includes the right of appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.