Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1997, published 86th ILC session (1998)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Slovakia (Ratification: 1993)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its reports received in 1993 and 1996. It notes, in particular, the adoption of the Constitution of the Slovak Republic of 1 September 1992, which provides in its article 18 for the prohibition of forced labour. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply, in its next report, additional information on the following points:

1. Article 2, paragraph 2(a), of the Convention. The Committee notes the provision of article 18, paragraph 2(b), of the Constitution, which excludes military service or other service assigned by law in lieu of compulsory military service from the prohibition of forced labour. It also notes the provision of article 25, paragraph 2, of the Constitution, which stipulates that no one must be forced to perform military service if this runs counter to his conscience or religious belief. The Government refers in its latest report to Act No. 207/1995 concerning alternative (civil) service which lays down detailed provisions on the subject. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply, with its next report, a copy of the above-mentioned Act, so that the Committee could examine its conformity with this Article of the Convention.

2. Article 2, paragraph 2(c). The Committee notes that work exacted in accordance with the law from persons serving a term of imprisonment or condemned to other punishment in lieu of imprisonment is excluded from the prohibition of forced labour, in virtue of article 18, paragraph 2(a), of the Constitution. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide, in its next report, information on provisions governing prison labour and supply copies of relevant texts (such as, for example, legislation concerning execution of penal sentences, prison rules or regulations).

3. The Committee notes the provision of article 18, paragraph 2(d), of the Constitution, which excludes from the prohibition of forced labour "activities laid down by law to protect life, health, or the rights of others". Since such activities appear to be different from work or service excluded from the prohibition of forced labour in virtue of paragraph 2(a), (b) and (c) of the same article of the Constitution (i.e. work exacted as a consequence of a conviction in a court of law, compulsory military service, work or service exacted in cases of natural catastrophes, accidents or other danger threatening human life, health or property of great value), the Committee asks the Government to describe the above-mentioned activities, indicating, in particular, whether any laws or regulations have been adopted in order to implement the above-mentioned provision of article 18, paragraph 2(d), of the Constitution. In the affirmative, please supply copies of relevant texts, as well as the information on their application in practice.

4. The Committee notes the Government's indication in the latest report concerning decisions of courts of law (including the Supreme Court) involving questions relating to the application of the Convention. It would be grateful if the Government would supply the texts of these decisions, as required by point III of the report form.