A House with Two Rooms - The Advocates for Human Rights

Section iii. civil and political rightS
Liberia’s constitution currently includes important protections for civil and political rights, such as the
right to life, liberty, property, due process, equality before the law, freedom of thought, conscience,
and religion, as well as freedom of expression. Throughout the Liberian conflict however, these
protections were disregarded, and the rights of the Liberian people were abrogated. Re-establishing
protection of these fundamental freedoms in Liberia was an important theme enunciated by statement
givers in their TRC statements.
Apart from its constitutional commitments, the Government of Liberia is bound by several
international treaties related to civil and political rights. Primary among these are the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as
the Convention against Torture and Other Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Several
other important international treaties ratified by Liberia are discussed in each section below. With
regard to general international legal obligations, The Advocates recommends that the Government
of Liberia:
• Ratify the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation
or Prostitution of Others without delay;
• Dedicate appropriate and sufficient resources to submit its report describing the measures
taken to give effect to the rights set forth in the Banjul Charter;
• Dedicate appropriate and sufficient resources to submit all due and overdue periodic reports
describing its compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to the
U.N. Human Rights Committee and its compliance with the Convention against Torture and
Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to the Committee against
Torture.
Personal Integrity & Dignity
The Government of Liberia is under an immediate obligation to take whatever measures are necessary
to respect and ensure fundamental rights including the right to life, prohibition of torture or cruel,
inhuman and degrading treatment, and prohibition of slavery. During the Liberian conflict, the
right to life of many Liberians was completely disregarded. Liberians were tortured and subjected to
inhuman and degrading treatment. They were also abducted and held in slavery by fighting factions.
Effective protections against these abuses must be integrated into all aspects of Liberian national
life to ensure non-repetition of these types of violations and to eliminate impunity for those who
perpetrate these most severe violations of human dignity.
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Chapter Fourteen