A/HRC/24/5 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its sixteenth session from 22 April to 3 May 2013. The review of Cape Verde was held at the third meeting on 23 April 2013. The delegation of Cape Verde was headed by José Carlos Lopes Correia, Minister of Justice. At its 10th meeting held on 26 April 2013, the Working Group adopted the report on Cape Verde. 2. On 14 January 2013, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Cape Verde: Burkina Faso, Kazakhstan and Guatemala. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Cape Verde: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/16/CPV/1 and Corr.1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/16/CPV/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/16/CPV/3 and Corr.1). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Mexico, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Cape Verde through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review (UPR). I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The delegation headed by José Carlos Lopes Correia, Minister of Justice, noted that appreciation and respect for human rights was a part of the sociocultural heritage of Cape Verdean people and that the Constitution recognized, among others, the inviolability and inalienability of human rights as the basis of all human communities and of peace and justice. 6. Cape Verde noted that the Constitution recognized an extensive list of rights, liberties and guarantees and civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. It was highlighted that the Constitution also established that, following their entry into force, ratified standards and principles of general international law or common law and of international treaty law took precedence over domestic laws and regulations. 7. Cape Verde underscored that it had ratified eight of the nine basic United Nations human rights treaties and that, in addition to these conventions, it had ratified and/or acceded to five of the eight optional protocols thereto. Additionally, Cape Verde was party to the principal African human rights protection instruments. 8. Cape Verde then provided information on key areas with regard to the recommendations made during the first review of Cape Verde. On the national human 3