CCPR UNITED NATIONS International covenant on civil and political rights Distr. GENERAL CCPR/CO/83/MUS 27 April 2005 ENGLISH Original: FRENCH HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE Eighty-third session CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 40 OF THE COVENANT Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee MAURITIUS 1. The Human Rights Committee considered the fourth periodic report of Mauritius (CCPR/C/MUS/2004/4) at its 2261st and 2262nd meetings (CCPR/C/SR.2261 and 2262), held on 17 and 18 March 2005, and adopted the following concluding observations at its 2278th meeting (CCPR/C/SR.2278), held on 31 March 2005. A. Introduction 2. The Committee welcomes the renewal of the dialogue with the State party nine years after the consideration of the previous report. It notes that the report submitted by the State party contains useful information on domestic legislation and on developments in certain legal and institutional areas since the consideration of the third periodic report. It welcomes the dialogue with the high-level delegation and notes with appreciation the oral and written replies to the Committee’s list of issues. B. Positive aspects 3. The Committee welcomes certain initiatives taken in recent years by the State party in the area of human rights, including the enactment of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1998, the Sex Discrimination Act 2002 establishing a Sex Discrimination Division under the National Human Rights Commission, the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act 2003, which introduced a new section 78 on “Torture by public official”, and the Ombudsperson for Children Act 2003 enacted in November 2003. 4. The Committee also notes with satisfaction the measures taken by the State party to promote the use of written Creole in schools. GE.05-41376 (E) 260505 270505