A/HRC/RES/23/6
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
19 June 2013
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Twenty-third session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council ∗
23/6.
Independence and impartiality of the judiciary, jurors and assessors,
and the independence of lawyers
The Human Rights Council,
Guided by articles 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and articles 2, 4, 9, 14 and 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
and bearing in mind the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action,
Recalling the Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, the Basic
Principles on the Role of Lawyers, the Guidelines on the Role of Prosecutors, the
Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct and the United Nations Principles and Guidelines
on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems,
Recalling also all previous resolutions and decisions of the Human Rights Council,
as well as those of the Commission on Human Rights and the General Assembly, on the
independence and impartiality of the judiciary and on the integrity of the judicial system,
Convinced that an independent and impartial judiciary, an independent legal
profession, an objective and impartial prosecution able to perform its functions accordingly
and the integrity of the judicial system are prerequisites for the protection of human rights
and the application of the rule of law, and for ensuring fair trials and that there is no
discrimination in the administration of justice,
Recalling that prosecutors should, in accordance with the law, perform their
functions fairly, consistently and expeditiously, and respect and protect human dignity and
uphold human rights, thus contributing to due process and the smooth functioning of the
criminal justice system,
∗
The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report
of the Council on its twenty-third session (A/HRC/23/2), chap. I.
GE.13-14894