Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1990, published 77th ILC session (1990)

Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105) - Guatemala (Ratification: 1959)

1. Article 1(a), (c) and (d) of the Convention. For several years the Committee has been referring to the provisions of Legislative Decree No. 9 of 10 April 1963, and sections 390, subsection 2, 396, 419 and 430 of the Penal Code, under which sentences of imprisonment involving, by virtue of section 47 of the Penal Code, the obligation to work, can be imposed as a punishment for expressing certain political opinions, as a measure of labour discipline or for participation in strikes.

The Committee noted that as a result of direct contacts in October 1988 between the Government and representatives of the Director-General of the International Labour Office, drafts were prepared to repeal the above provisions.

The Committee notes that, in its last report, the Government states that a draft text to repeal the above provisions is currently under study.

The Committee trusts that the necessary steps will shortly be taken to bring the national legislation into line with the Convention and that the Government will report progress made to that end.