Statement 108 - Australian Permanent Mission and Consulate-General

Australian Permanent Mission and Consulate-General

Geneva, Switzerland

Address: Chemin des Fins 2, Case Postale 102, 1211 Geneva 19 - Telephone: 022 799 9100 - Fax: 022 799 9178

8th Session of the Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review

Intervention by Australia

by Ms Angela Robinson
10 May, 2010

Grenada

Australia welcomes the delegation from Grenada, led by His Excellency the Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Peter David and appreciates its engagement in the UPR process.

We commend Grenada on its strong tradition of secular governance and freedom of religion. We also congratulate Grenada on its continuing reconstruction after the hurricanes of 2009, and particularly note the impressive work to resurrect damaged facilities in the education sector.

We welcome the de facto moratorium on the death penalty but regret that Grenada has not formally abolished the death penalty. We also note with concern that Grenada maintains criminal sanctions against sexual activity between consenting adults of the same sex. We welcome comments this morning that the Government of Grenada will look into this matter.

Australia recommends that Grenada:

1. Accede to the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, aimed at abolishing the death penalty, and take the necessary steps to remove the death penalty from Grenada’s justice system.

2. Remove legislation which discriminates against individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.