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organizations (see Report of the Secretary-General E/CN.4/Sub.2/1995/17 Add.1 and
Add.2) and the discussions on the matter in the Working Group (see Report of the
Working Group, E/CN.4/Sub.2/1995/16). On 19 April 1996, the Commission on
Human Rights, at its fifty-second session, adopted resolution 1996/35, by which,
taking note of the report of the Secretary-General submitted to the Commission in
compliance with its resolution 1995/34 (E/CN.4/1996/29), it requested States that had
not yet done so to submit information in accordance with that resolution, and requested
the Secretary-General to prepare an additional report, taking into account the
information provided by States (see Report of the Commission on Human Rights,
E/CN.4/1996/177 (E/1996/23)).
As requested by the Sub-Commission in its decision 1995/117 of 24 August
1995, the former Special Rapporteur submitted a revised text of the basic principles
and guidelines to the Sub-Commission at its forty-eighth session
(E/CN.4/Sub.2/1996/17). On 29 August 1996, the Sub-Commission adopted resolution
1996/28, by which it expressed its appreciation to the former Special Rapporteur and
decided to transmit the revised draft to the Commission on Human Rights, together
with its comments and the comments of the Working Group (E/CN.4/Sub.2/1996/16).
By the same resolution, the Sub-Commission requested the former Special Rapporteur
to prepare a note taking into account the comments and observations of the Working
Group and the Sub-Commission in order to facilitate the examination by the
Commission on Human Rights of the revised draft basic principles and guidelines (see
Report of the Sub-Commission, E/CN.4/Sub.2/1996/41 (E/CN.4/1997/2)).
On 13 January 1997, the former Special Rapporteur accordingly submitted a
note to the Sub-Commission, together with an adapted version of the draft revised
basic principles and guidelines (E/CN.4/1997/104, annex). On 11 April 1997, at its
fifty-third session, the Commission on Human Rights adopted resolution 1997/29, by
which it invited the Secretary-General to request all States to submit their views and
comments on the note and revised draft basic principles and guidelines and to prepare
a report setting out such views and comments (see Report of the Commission on
Human Rights, E/1997/23).
At its fifty-fourth session, the Commission on Human Rights adopted
resolution 1998/43 of 17 April 1998 by which it took note of the report of the
Secretary-General (E/CN.4/1998/34) submitted pursuant to the abovementioned
resolution and, with the approval of the Economic and Social Council (see Economic
and Social Council resolution 1998/256 of 30 July 1998), requested the Chairman of
the Commission to appoint an independent expert to prepare a revised version of the
basic principles and guidelines, taking into account the views of and comments
provided by States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and to
submit it to the Commission at its fifty-fifth session, with a view to its adoption by the
General Assembly. By the same resolution, the Commission continued to request the
Secretary-General to invite States that had not yet done so, as well as
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, to submit their views and
comments as soon as possible, and by no later than 31 October 1989, and to make that
information available to the independent expert (see Report of the Commission on
Human Rights, E/1998/23).
The independent expert appointed by the Commission on Human Rights, Mr.
M. Cherif Bassiouni, submitted his first report to the Commission in February 1999, at
its fifty-fifth session (E/CN.4./1999/65). On 26 April 1999, the Commission on
Human Rights adopted resolution 1999/33, by which it requested him to complete his
work and to submit to the Commission at its fifty-sixth session, in accordance with its
resolution 1998/43, a revised version of the basic principles and guidelines (see Report
of the Commission on Human Rights, E/1999/23).
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