A/HRC/13/30 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 18 January 2010 Original: English/Spanish Human Rights Council Thirteenth session Agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Report of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention* Chairperson-Rapporteur: El Hadji Malick Sow Summary During 2009, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention visited Malta and Senegal at the invitation of the Governments. The reports on these visits are contained in addenda to the present document (A/HRC/13/30/Add.2 and 3). During the period 1 December 2008 to 30 November 2009, the Working Group adopted 29 Opinions concerning 71 persons in 23 States. These Opinions are contained in the first addendum to the present document (A/HRC/13/30/Add.1). Also during this period, the Group transmitted a total of 138 urgent appeals to 58 States concerning 844 individuals, including 50 women and 29 boys. The States informed the Working Group that they had taken measures to remedy the situation of the detainees: in some cases, the detainees were released; in other cases, the Working Group was assured that the detainees concerned would be guaranteed a fair trial. The Working Group has sought to engage in a continuous dialogue with those countries visited by the Working Group, in respect of which it had recommended changes to domestic legislation governing detention or the adoption of other measures. Information about the implementation of the recommendations made by the Working Group to the Governments of countries visited in 2007 was received from the Governments of Norway and Equatorial Guinea. The Government of Angola requested an extension of the deadline for submitting its comments. The present report includes several issues which have given rise to concern during 2009. The Working Group welcomes the Human Rights Council panel discussion on the human rights of migrants in detention centres, in which its Chairperson-Rapporteur participated. However, it remains concerned that the human rights of detained migrants in * Late submission. GE.10-10294 (E) 280110 100210