US embassy cable - 05GENEVA2113

UNCLAS GENEVA 002113 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IO/SHA, DRL/MLA, L/HRR 
 
REFERENCE:  (A) GENEVA 1919 (B) GENEVA 721 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, UNHRC-1, Children Rights 
SUBJECT:  WG ON ARBITRARY DETENTION OPINION #6 ON 2005 LOG 
 
 
1.  Mission received the following communication from Leila 
Zerrougui, Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on 
Arbitrary Detention, regarding the opinion on the case of 
Mr. Abdullah William Webster.  This communication has been 
forwarded to IO/SHA via e-mail and is included in number 6 
on the Geneva 2005 Communications Log. 
 
2.  Begin text of letter: 
 
REFERENCE: G/SO 218/2 
 
1 September 2005 
 
Dear Mr. Ambassador, 
 
The Commission on Human Rights, by its resolution 2003/31 
entitled "Question of arbitrary detention", decided to 
renew, for a three-year period, the mandate of the Working 
Group on Arbitrary Detention and invited the Working Group 
in discharging its mandate, to continue to seek and gather 
information from Governments and intergovernmental and 
nongovernmental organizations, as well as from the 
individuals concerned, their families or their legal 
representatives. 
 
I wish to refer to the letter dated 10 March 2005 addressed 
to you concerning a case of arbitrary detention which was 
reported to have occurred in your country. 
 
In light of the above, and in keeping with the mandate 
entrusted to it by the Commission on Human Rights, and with 
its methods of work, the Working Group has examined the 
above-mentioned case, taking into consideration all the 
pertinent information at its disposal and has adopted, on 30 
August 2005, Opinion No. 26/2005 (copy attached). This 
Opinion will be reproduced in the report which the Working 
Group will present to the Commission on Human Rights at its 
sixty-second session. 
 
Accept, Mr. Ambassador, the assurances of my highest 
consideration. 
 
Leila Zerrougui 
Chairperson-Rapporteur Working Group on Arbitrary Detention 
 
End text of letter. 
 
3.  Begin text of opinion: 
 
OPINION No. 26/2005 (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA) 
 
Communication addressed to the Government on 10 March 2005 
Concerning: Mr. Abdullah William Webster 
 
The State is a Party to the International Covenant on Civil 
and Political Rights 
 
1.  The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention was established 
by resolution 1991/42 of the Commission on Human Rights, 
which has renewed the mandate by resolution 2003/31. In 
accordance with its methods of work, the Working Group has 
forwarded to the Government the above-mentioned 
communication. 
 
2.  The Working Group notes with appreciation the 
information forwarded by the Government concerned in respect 
of the case in question. 
 
3.  The Working Group further notes that the Government has 
informed that the above-named person is not longer in 
detention, having been released on 30 April 2005, which was 
confirmed by the source. 
 
4.  Having examined the available information, and without 
concluding on the arbitrary or not character of the 
detention, the Working Group decides, in conformity with 
paragraph 17 (a) of its methods of work, to file the case of 
Mr. Abdullah William Webster. 
 
Adopted on 30 August 2005. 
 
BIGELOW