Admissibility
The Working Group’s decision on the admissibility of a communication is guided by the following criteria – the
communication should:
• not reflect political motivation of any kind;
• have reasonable grounds for establishing that there is a consistent pattern of gross and reliably attested
violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms;
• come from individuals or groups claiming to be victims of human rights violations or having direct, reliable
knowledge of violations. Anonymous communications are inadmissible, as are those based only on reports in the mass
media;
• describe the facts, the purpose and the rights that have been violated. As a rule, communications containing
abusive language or insulting remarks about the State against which the complaint is directed will not be consid-
ered;
• have first exhausted all domestic remedies, unless it can be shown con- vincingly that solutions at national
level would be ineffective or that they would extend over an unreasonable length of time.
Communications intended for handling under the “1503” procedure may be addressed to:
PART 4:
UNITED NATIONS STRATEGIES AND ACTION TO PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS
“It is for you to realize these rights, now and for all time. Human rights are your rights.
Seize them. Defend them. Promote them. Understand them and insist on them.
Nourish and enrich them.”
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan
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