21/58 Interim report of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee on human rights and issues related to terrorist hostage-taking - Note by the secretariat

GE.12-16174

Human Rights Council Twenty-first session

Agenda items 3 and 5

Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,

political, economic, social and cultural rights,

including the right to development

Human rights bodies and mechanisms

Interim report of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee on human rights and issues related to terrorist hostage-taking

Note by the secretariat*

1. In its resolution 18/10, the Human Rights Council requested the Advisory

Committee to prepare a study on the issue of hostage-taking by terrorist groups and its

adverse impact on the protection of the human rights of hostages and on the protection and

enjoyment of these rights by those living in local communities in the countries of the

regions affected. It requested the Committee to submit the study to the Council at its

twenty-third session and to present an interim report thereon at its twenty-first session.

2. At its eighth session, the Advisory Committee established a drafting group,

consisting of Wolfgang Stefan Heinz (Rapporteur), Latif Hüseynov (Chairperson), Obiora

Chinedu Okafor, Shigeki Sakamoto, Ahmer Bilal Soofi and Jean Ziegler. The Committee

also recommended that the Council consider a decision whereby it takes note of the

recommendation of the Committee and requests it to submit an interim report to the

Council at its twenty-second session, and a final report at its twenty-fourth session.1

3. At its ninth session, Cecilia Rachel V. Quisumbing a new member of the Advisory

Committee, joined the drafting group. The Committee recalled the recommendation made

at its eighth session, took note of the progress report (A/HRC/AC/9/CRP.1) and agreed to

invite all interested stakeholders, including Member States, international organizations,

national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations, to contribute to the

study, and requested the drafting group to finalize its work on the study in the light of the

discussions held by the Committee at the ninth session, and to submit the draft final report

* Late submission. 1 A/HRC/AC/8/8, text 8/5.

to the Committee at its tenth session.2 In this regard, the secretariat sent a note verbale to all

interested stakeholders on 13 August 2012.

4. Accordingly, in order to allow the Advisory Committee to finalize the study in the

light of such contributions and the discussions held at its ninth session, the interim report

requested by the Human Rights Council for its twenty-first session will be presented at its

twenty-second session, and the final report of the Committee at the twenty-fourth session.

2 A/HRC/AC/9/6, text 9/2.