A/HRC/RES/35/12
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
10 July 2017
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Thirty-fifth session
6–23 June 2017
Agenda item 3
Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 22 June 2017
35/12.
Independence and impartiality of the judiciary, jurors and
assessors, and the independence of lawyers
The Human Rights Council,
Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, 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,
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,
Taking note of the reports of the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges
and lawyers submitted to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-second1 and thirty-fifth2
sessions, and to the General Assembly at its seventy-first session,3
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 the administration of
justice without any discrimination,
Recalling that prosecutors should, in accordance with the law, perform their
functions fairly, consistently and expeditiously, respect and protect human dignity, and
1
2
3
A/HRC/32/34.
A/HRC/35/31.
A/71/348.
GE.17-11514(E)