13 The Work of Expert Bodies: Complaint Procedures and Fact-finding

The international treaties for the protection of human rights have introduced two different complaints procedures: procedures open to states parties according to which one state charges another state with not fulfilling its duties under the treaties concerned (interstate complaints); and procedures permitting individuals believing themselves to be victims of a violation of their rights to bring a complaint to the attention of the competent review body (individual complaints). As far as terminology is concerned, at the United Nations level the practice has become...