II. GENERAL COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS


 

•          ICCPR General Comment 13 (Twenty-first session, 1984): Article 14: Equality Before the Courts and the Right to a Fair and Public Hearing by an Independent Court Established by Law, A/39/40 (1984) 143 at para 19.

 

19. In considering State reports differing views have often been expressed as to the scope of paragraph 7 of article 14. Some States parties have even felt the need to make reservations in relation to procedures for the resumption of criminal cases. It seems to the Committee that most States parties make a clear distinction between a resumption of a trial justified by exceptional circumstances and a re-trial prohibited pursuant to the principle of ne bis in idem as contained in paragraph 7. This understanding of the meaning of ne bis in idem may encourage States parties to reconsider their reservations to article 14, paragraph 7.