The International Convenant on Civil and political Rights was adopted by the General Assembly on 16 December 1966 and came into force on 23 March 1976. The first meeting of States parties, in accordance with the provisions of articles 28 to 32 of the Convenant, elected the 18-member Human Rights Committee provided for therein. The Committee comprises nationals of States parties to the Convenant who are of high moral character and recognised competence in the field of human rights. Consideration also is given to the usefulness of participation of persons having legal experience. Committee members are elected by States parties and serve in their personal capacity. The Committee is empowered to consider reports on measures adopted and progress made in achieving the observance of the rights enshrined in the Covenant. In addition, under the First Optional protocol to the international Convenant on Civil and political rights, a number of states have recognised the competence of the Committee to consider communicat

ion from individuals regarding alleged violations of human rights. The Second Optional protocol, aimed at the abolition of the death penalty, entered into force on 11 July 1991.

The Committee meets three times a year. Its sixty-fifth session was held in New York from 22 march to 9 April 1999. Its sixty-sixth session is scheduled to be held in Geneva from 5 to 9 July 1999. Members of the Committee, who serve for four year, are as follows:

TERM ENDING 31 December 2000

Lord Colville, UK, Rapporteur

Elizabeth Evatt, Australia, Vice-Chair

Pilar Gaitan De Pompo, Colombia

Rajsoomer lallah, Mauritius

Fausto Pocar, Italy

Martin Scheinin, Finland

Roman Weiruszewski, Poland

Maxwell Yalden, Canada

Abdallah Zakhia, Lebanon

TERM ENDING 31 December 2002

Abdelfattah Amor, Tunisia

Nidsuke Ando, Japan

Prafullachandra Natwarlal Bhagwati, India

Thomas Buergenthal, USA

Christine Chanet, France

Eckart Klein, Germany

David Kretzmer, Israel

Cecilia Medina Quiroga, Chile, Chair

Hipolito Solari Yrigoyen, Argentina

As at 31 march 1999, 144 states had ratified or acceded to the Convenant, 95 states to the First Optional Protocol and 38 states to the Second Optional protocol.