According to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the 50-week jail sentence given to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for breaching a British court’s bail conditions seven years ago is “disproportionate.”
About:
Timeline: The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention was established by resolution in 1991 of the former Commission on Human Rights. its mandate was most recently extended by Human Rights Council resolution 33/30 of 30 September 2016 for a further three year period.
Status: It is one of the thematic special procedures overseen by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), and is therefore a subsidiary body of the UN.
Composition: This Working Group is composed of 5 independent human rights experts who are appointed in equitable geographical distribution from the following regions: Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Western Europe and Other Countries, and South America and Caribbean.
Mandate:
To investigate cases of deprivation of liberty imposed arbitrarily or otherwise inconsistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
To conduct field missions upon the invitation of Government in order to understand the underlying reasons for instances of arbitrary deprivation of liberty; and
To present an annual report to the Human Rights Council presenting its activities, findings, conclusions and recommendations.
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