A/HRC/8/4 page 9 4. Equality of arms8 21. Equality also extends to the procedural rights and instruments available to parties throughout the proceedings, unless distinctions are based on law and can be justified on objective and reasonable grounds, not entailing actual disadvantage or other unfairness to the defendant.9 This right is abundantly confirmed in international case law. In the Committee’s view, there is no equality of arms if only the prosecutor, but not the defendant, is allowed to appeal a certain decision.10 5. Legal assistance 22. This is a fundamental component of access to justice. In the Committee’s view11 legal assistance must meet a number of requirements: among other things, it must be prompt; it should be obtained privately; it should be confidential; and it should be free of charge when the person does not have sufficient means to pay for it. Other financial aspects have been repeatedly raised by the Committee,12 such as the imposition of litigation costs and how this can impair the effective exercise of this right.13 6. Positive obligations of the State 23. The State should refrain from any action that hinders access to justice or makes it impossible for those working in the judicial system - judges, lawyers and prosecutors - to carry 8 Ibid., párr. 8. 9 CDH, Comunicación Nº 1347/2005, Dudko c. Australia, párr. 7.4; CDH, Comunicación Nº 846/1999, Jansen-Gielen c. los Países Bajos, párr. 8.2; CHD, Comunicación Nº 779/1997, Äärelä y Näkkäläjärvi c. Finlandia, párr. 7.4. 10 CDH, Comunicación Nº 1086/2002, Weiss c. Austria, párr. 9.6. También Comunicación Nº 223/1987, Robinson c. Jamaica, párr. 10.4 (suspensión de audiencia). 11 CDH, Comunicaciones Nº 646/1995, Lindon c. Australia, párr. 6.5; Nº 341/1988, Z.P. c. el Canadá, párr. 5.4; 985/2001, Aliboeva c. Tayikistán, párr. 6.4; 964/2001, Saidova c. Tayikistán, párr. 6.8; 781/1997, Aliev c. Ucrania, párr. 7.3; 554/1993, LaVende c. Trinidad y Tabago, párr. 58; Nº 383/1989, H.C. c. Jamaica, párr. 6.3; Nº 253/1987, Kelly c. Jamaica, párr. 9.5; Nos. 705/1996, Taylor c. Jamaica, párr. 6.2 ; 913/2000, Chan c. Guyana, párr. 6.2; 980/2001, Hussain c. Mauricio, párr. 6.3; Nº 917/2000, Arutyunyan c. Uzbekistán, párr. 6.3. 12 Comunicaciones Nos. 377/1989, Currie c. Jamaica, párr. 13.4; 704/1996, Shaw c. Jamaica, párr. 7.6; 707/1996, Taylor c. Jamaica, párr. 8.2; 752/1997, Henry c. Trinidad y Tabago, párr. 7.6; 845/1998, Kennedy c. Trinidad y Tabago, párr. 7.10. 13 CDH,Comunicación Nº 646/1995, Lindon c. Australia, párr. 6.4; CDH, Comunicación Nº 779/1997, Äärelä y Näkkäläjärvi c. Finlandia, párr. 7.2.