Human Rights Council elections 2008 - Argentina

Strikes and demonstrations, organized by municipal workers in support of pay demands in 2007, led to violent confrontations with police. Both demonstrators and police officers were injured. In the Neuquen Province, a protester was killed and an investigation into the death has been initiated.

There are also reports of violent raids on peasant and indigenous communities in the context of land disputes. Organizations working on behalf of peasants have faced harassment.

In September 2007, the national Ombudsman submitted a preventive writ before the Supreme Court on behalf of indigenous communities in Chaco Province. The submission emphasized extreme levels of poverty, involving lack of food, access to drinking water, shelter, and medical care. 

The Supreme Court ruled in October that the local authorities have to provide food, drinking water and health and education programmes to these communities.

In November 2007, prisoners in the Santiago del Estero prison staged a protest against ill-treatment, abuse of authority, degrading body searches and the failure to investigate their complaints. During the protests, a fire was started – reportedly by the prisoners – which caused at least 30 deaths.

The Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons Deprived of Liberty of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights subsequently called on the authorities to investigate these incidents and to improve the protection of detainees.

Also in Santiago del Estero, reports were received in April 2008 of ill-treatment of detainees by the police officers in this province.

Several people, charged with committing human rights violations during the period of military government in 1976-1983, including abductions, murder, and torture, were sentenced to up to life imprisonment. In July 2007 the Supreme Court ruled as unconstitutional a presidential pardon granted by former President Carlos Menem for past human rights violations, in line with international legislation prohibiting impunity for crimes against humanity.

Recent Amnesty International statements and reports:

General

Amnesty International Report extracts for Argentina 2005-2007
Argentina: Elecciones 2007.  Llamamiento de Amnistía Internacional para la creación de un Plan Nacional de Derechos Humanos (October 2007, in Spanish only)

Violence against women

Argentina: Violencia domestica, un problema de Estado (20 November 2007, AI Index: AIAR CAM 02/11/2007 – in Spanish only)    

International Criminal Court

Argentina: Recomendaciones con relación al Proyecto de Ley de Adaptación del Estatuto de Roma de la Corte Penal Internacional (August 2006 – in Spanish only)

Ratification of International Treaties

Treaty Status Recognition of specific competences of Treaty Bodies Reservations/ Declarations 
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Ratified Art. 41 (inter-state complaints) Entered
Optional Protocol to the ICCPR Acceded    
Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR on the death penalty Signed    
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Ratified   Entered
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Ratified   Entered
Optional Protocol to CEDAW Ratified Art. 2 (individual complaints) Entered
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination Ratified Art.14 (individual complaints)  
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) Ratified Art. 21 (inter-state complaints)
Art. 22 (individual complaints) 		Entered
Optional Protocol to CAT Ratified    
Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) Ratified   Entered
Optional Protocol to the CRC on children in armed conflict Ratified   Entered
Optional Protocol to the CRC on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography Ratified   Entered
International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families Ratified None Entered
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance Ratified None  
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Ratified    
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees Acceded   Entered
Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees Acceded    
The Four Geneva Conventions Ratified    
Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts Ratified    
Protocol II to the Geneva Conventions relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts Ratified    
Protocol III to the Geneva Conventions relating to the Adoption of an Additional Distinctive Emblem Signed    

Compliance with Reporting Obligations

Total Overdue Reports Up to 5 years overdue 5 -10 years overdue 10 years or more overdue
3 CESCR: 4th periodic report CRC OP SC: initial report   CESCR: 3rd periodic report    

Cooperation with the Special Procedures

Extension of a standing invitation Outstanding visit requests (year requested) Forthcoming visits (dates if available) Missions carried out between May 2007 and April 2008
All Special Procedures None Working Group on Enforced Disappearances (agreed in principle)
Independent Expert on the effects of economic reforms and foreign debt on the full enjoyment of HRs (agreed in principle) 		None
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