The Assembly notes with regret that only Denmark, Ireland and Sweden have so far made the declaration, under Article 25 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, recognising the competence of the Commission of Human Rights to receive individual petitions, whereas at least six such declarations are required before the Commission can exercise that power even in respect of countries which have made the necessary declaration.
The Assembly recalls that, if the protection of Human Rights is dependent on the initiative of Governments, there is every reason to fear that this protection will remain a dead letter or that, on the rare occasions when a Governments takes any such initiative, there will be a suspicion that its action has been prompted by political motives, so that the hearing of the complaint will take on a similar character.
The Assembly therefore urges the Representatives from States which have not yet made the declaration specified in Article 25 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms to request their Governments to reconsider their attitude on this question.