Trinidad and Tobago's Attorney-General Ramesh Maharaj...

Trinidad and Tobago's Attorney-General Ramesh Maharaj denied Amnesty International's charges. "The withdrawal by Trinidad and Tobago from the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights will not impact on the enjoyment of human rights in Trinidad and Tobago," Maharaj said. Noting that Trinidad and Tobago was still party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Maharaj said the country must submit periodic reports to the United Nations' Human Rights Committee on its human rights compliance. "It has to justify its conduct before the Human Rights Committee on all matters in Trinidad and Tobago and that includes its conduct in death penalty matters. By withdrawing from the Protocol this obligation is not affected. However, the government has taken steps so that condemned murderers cannot use delays before the United Nations Human Rights Committee to prevent the government from carrying out the death penalty."