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International Human Rights

A guide to research sources for international human rights law created by John Bolan, Bora Laskin Law Library.

McGill Guide style citation of decisions/views of the Human Rights Committee

Cite a Human Rights Committee “communication” (aka a view or decision of the HRC)

General form:

Treaty Body abbreviation, communication no, case name, UN document number, online: <url>.

Example:

UNHRC, Communication No 1014/2001, Baban and Baban v Australia, UN Doc CCPR/C/78/D/1014/2001, online: < tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CCPR%2fC%2f78%2fD%2f1014%2f2001&Lang=en>.

Cite a General Comment from the Human Rights Committee

Meshing together some other UN citation forms,  you can cite a General comment of the HRC like this:

General form:

Treaty Body abbreviation, title and number of comment, Session, date of adoption, UN document number, online: <url>.

Example:

UNHRC, General Comment No. 8: Article 9 (Right to Liberty and Security of Persons), 16th Sess, adopted 30 June 1982, UN Doc HRI/GEN/1/Rev.9 (Vol. I), online: < http://ccprcentre.org/doc/ICCPR/General%20Comments/HRI.GEN.1.Rev.9%28Vol.I%29_%28GC8%29_en.pdf>.