Published March, 1976

Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 999 U.N.T.S. 302

Commonly referred to as “Protocol One,” this is an optional protocol to the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights (“ICCPR”) that allows individuals who are victims of violations of ICCPR to present complaints before the United Nations Human Rights Committee against a state that has ratified the ICCPR and Protocol One and has violated its obligations under the ICCPR. The individual must first exhaust all available domestic remedies before writing to the Human Rights Committee. The Committee will then allow the state party six months to provide information. After considering all the information submitted to it, the Committee will issue its views to the state party and the individual.

 
The United States is a party to the ICCPR, but not to Protocol One.