CCPR/C/120/D/2256/2013
United Nations
International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights
Distr.: General
22 August 2017
Original: English
Human Rights Committee
Views adopted by the Committee under article 5 (4) of the
Optional Protocol, concerning communication No.
2256/2013*, **
Submitted by:
X. (represented by counsel, Sergey A. Golubok
and the Redress Trust)
Alleged victim:
The author
State party:
Sri Lanka
Date of communication:
11 February 2013 (initial submission)
Document references:
Decision taken pursuant to rule 97 of the
Committee’s rules of procedure, transmitted to
the State party on 13 June 2013 (not issued in a
document form)
Date of adoption of Views:
27 July 2017
Subject matter:
Lack of investigation of rape allegations
Procedural issue:
Exhaustion of domestic remedies —
unreasonably prolonged delay
Substantive issue:
Rape as a form of torture, based on
discrimination due to ethnicity, minority status
and gender
Articles of the Covenant:
2 (1) and (3), 3, 7, 24 (1) and 26
Articles of the Optional Protocol:
2 and 5 (2) (a) and (b)
1.
The author of the communication is X, a Sri Lankan national born on 28 August
1983. She claims that Sri Lanka has violated her rights under articles 2 (1) and (3), 3, 7, 24
(1) and 26 of the Covenant. The author is represented by counsel, Sergey A. Golubok and
the Redress Trust. The Optional Protocol entered into force for Sri Lanka on 3 January
1998.1
* Adopted by the Committee at its 120th session (3-28 July 2017).
** The following members of the Committee participated in the examination of the communication:
1
Tania María Abdo Rocholl, Yadh Ben Achour, Ilze Brands Kehris, Ahmed Amin Fathalla, Olivier de
Frouville, Christof Heyns, Yuji Iwasawa, Bamariam Koita, Marcia V.J. Kran, Duncan Laki
Muhumuza, Photini Pazartzis, Mauro Politi, José Manuel Santos Pais, Yuval Shany and Margo
Waterval.
The State party did not enter any reservation upon ratification of the Optional Protocol.
GE.17-14462(E)