Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1991, published 78th ILC session (1991)

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

Article 1(a) of the Convention. In its previous comments, the Committee referred to section 2, subsection 2, of Act No. 22/84 of 29 December 1984 to organise 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, are obliged to work. The Committee noted the Government's statement that this legislation has not yet been applied in practice and requested the Government to provide details on the scope of the above provisions.

The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its report 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 considers that the provisions of section 2 of Act No. 22/84 could be ambiguous and has therefore requested that a new draft of this section be studied.

The Committee asks the Government to provide information on any provisions that have been adopted or are envisaged in this connection, and on the practical application of section 2 as it now stands, including copies of judicial rulings.