International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is a multilateral treaty that commits nations to respect individuals' civil and political rights, including the right to life, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, electoral rights and rights to due process and a fair trial. The United Nations General Assembly adopted it by Resolution 2200A (XXI) on 16 December 1966, and it entered into force on 23 March 1976 after its thirty-fifth ratification or accession. As of December 2025, the Covenant has 175 parties and six more signatories without ratification, most notably China and Cuba; North Korea is the only state that has tried to withdraw.

The ICCPR is considered a pivotal document in the history of international law and human rights, forming part of the International Bill of Human Rights, along with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

The United Nations Human Rights Committee monitors compliance with the treaty; it reviews regular reports from State Parties on how they implements the rights. States must report one year after acceding to the Covenant, and then whenever the Committee requests (usually every four years). The Committee normally meets at the UN Office at Geneva, Switzerland, and typically holds three sessions per year.