A/HRC/32/16 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its twenty-fourth session from 18 to 29 January 2016. The review of Sierra Leone was held at the 15th meeting, on 27 January 2016. The delegation of Sierra Leone was headed by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara. At its 18th meeting, held on 29 January 2016, the Working Group adopted the report on Sierra Leone. 2. On 12 January 2016, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Sierra Leone: Kyrgyzstan, Mexico and Togo. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Sierra Leone: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/24/SLE/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.6/24/SLE/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/24/SLE/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Liechtenstein, Mexico, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Sierra Leone through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The Minister stated that Sierra Leone had undertaken a review of its report under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Right in November 2015 in Banjul. Sierra Leone continued to give the highest consideration to international human rights standards, had signed all nine major international treaties and had ratified five, and had incorporated international humanitarian law into domestic legislation, under the Geneva Conventions Act, 2012. Sierra Leone had also complied with reporting obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and had continued engagement with other global treaty bodies and mechanisms. The Government of Sierra Leone had also reported to the Human Rights Council on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 2014, and was committed to completing all outstanding reporting obligations. 6. The country had endured an 11-year civil war, during which the most egregious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law had occurred. The war ended in 2002 and, with the collaboration of the international community, two transitional justice bodies had been created: the Special Court for Sierra Leone and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Both institutions demonstrated the resolve of Sierra Leone to 3