Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1995, published 83rd ILC session (1996)

Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105) - Gabon (Ratification: 1961)

Article 1 of the Convention. In its previous comments, the Committee referred to section 2(2) of Act No. 22/84 of 29 December 1984 to organize prison labour, under which political prisoners sentenced at the same time for related offences under ordinary law are considered to be convicts under ordinary law and, by virtue of section 3 of the above Act, are obliged to work.

The Committee noted the Government's statement to the effect that political detainees are not considered as prisoners under ordinary law, even if they are sentenced at the same time for offences under ordinary law. However, the Government considered that the provisions of section 2 of Act No. 22/84 could be ambiguous and had therefore requested that a new draft of that section be studied.

The Committee notes the steps taken by the Ministry of Labour, with the Ministry of the Interior, to reword Act No. 22/84 in the light of the provisions of the Convention and the new Labour Code. The Committee hopes that the Government will supply information on any provisions that have been adopted or are envisaged in this context and on the effect given in practice to section 2 as it now stands, including copies of judicial rulings.