Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1996, published 85th ILC session (1997)

Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105) - Comoros (Ratification: 1978)

The Committee notes that no report has been received from the Government. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the following matters raised in its previous direct request:

Article 1(a) of the Convention. In its previous comments, the Committee referred to sections 79, 94, 99, 252 and 254 of the Penal Code, which provide for sentences of imprisonment involving, by virtue of section 1 of Order No. 68-353 of 6 April 1968, the obligation to work, in connection with freedom of expression and the right of assembly.

The Committee noted that Order No. 68-353 was being reviewed and asked for information on the state of progress of the review.

The Government has noted that it had not been possible to complete the project to review Order No. 68-353, but that the Government will take account of the Committee's comments.

The Committee recalls that the Convention prohibits the use of any form of forced or compulsory labour to punish persons who have expressed certain political views or views ideologically opposed to the established political, social or economic order if such persons have not used violence or incited to violence.

The Committee hopes that the Government will take the necessary measures to ensure that the persons covered by the Convention cannot be subject to sanctions involving the obligation to work.