資料來源：HRI/GEN/1/Rev.9 (Vol. I) 27 May 2008
第15號一般性意見
1. 各締約國的報告往往都沒有顧及締約國都必須保證“在其領土內和受其管轄的一切個人都”享有本公約所承認的權利(第二條第1款)。一般而言，《公約》所訂各項權利適用於每個人，不論國家間對等原則，亦不論該個人的國籍或無國籍身份。
2. 因此，一般的規則是，必須確保《公約》內的每一項權利，而不區別對待公民和外僑。如同第二條所規定的，外僑享有在《公約》所保證的權利方面的無歧視的一般規定的益處。此項保證同樣適用于外僑和公民。例外的是，《公約》中有些權利已明文規定僅僅適用于公民(第二十五條)，而第十三條則僅適用于外僑。但是，委員會審查報告的經驗卻顯示，在一些國家，外僑卻享受不到按照《公約》所應享有的其他的權利，或受到通常都不符合《公約》的無理限制。
3. 一些國家的憲法規定外僑和公民一律平等。某些最近通過的憲法卻詳細地分別規定適用於一切人的基本權利和僅適用于公民的基本權利。然而，在某些國家，在起草憲法中的相關權利條款時都僅僅針對其公民。成文法和判例法在規定外僑權利方面也發揮重要作用。委員會已得知，在某些國家，其憲法或其他法律雖然不保證外僑享有某些基本權利，可是本公約卻規定他們應享有這些權利。但是，有些國家顯然沒有實行《公約》所定不得歧視外僑的應享權利。
4. 委員會認爲各締約國在其報告內應該注意外僑的法定地位和實際地位。《公約》已在內載的權利方面給予外僑一切保護；各締約國在其立法上和實踐上均應適當遵守《公約》的規定。這樣才能大大改善外僑的地位。各締約國均應確保在其管轄範圍內的外僑都能夠知道《公約》的條款和所規定的權利。
5. 《公約》不承認外國人有權進入某一締約國的領土或在其境內居住。原則上，該國有權決定誰可以入境。但是，在某些情況下，例如涉及不歧視、禁止非人道待遇和尊重家庭生活等考慮因素時，外國人甚至可以享有入境或居留方面的《公約》保護。
6. 入境許可的頒發必須符合有關諸如遷徙、居住和就業等事項的條件。一個國家亦可對過境的外國人規定一般條件。但是，外國人一旦獲准進入一個締約國的領土，他們就有權享有《公約》所規定的各項權利。
7. 因此，外僑應享有固有的生命權、法律保護以及生命不得被任意剝奪的權利。他們不應受到酷刑或殘忍、不人道或侮辱性的待遇或處罰；他們亦不應被迫爲奴隸或被強迫役使。外僑享有充分的自由權利和人身安全。他們如果被合法地剝奪了自由，應該獲得人道待遇，其固有的人身尊嚴應受尊重。外僑不因未履行合同義務而被監禁。他們有權自由遷徙、自由選擇住所；他們有權自由離境。外僑在法院和法庭內享有平等待遇，並且有權在依法設立的公正、超然的主管法庭中就任何刑事控訴或法律訴訟的權利和義務的確定問題進行公正的、公開的審訊。外僑不應受到溯及既往的刑事立法的拘束，並且有權在法律上獲得確認。他們的隱私權、家庭、住屋或通信均不受任何任意的或非法的干涉。他們有權享有思想自由、良心自由和宗教自由，並且有權保有意見和表達其意見。外僑有權進行和平集會和結社。他們達到適婚年齡時可以結婚。他們的子女有權享有依未成年人資格所應享有的各種保護。如果外僑屬於第二十七條所規定的少數者，他們應有權同其集團中的其他成員共同享有他們自己的文化並信奉和實行自己的宗教及使用自己的語文。外僑有權享有平等的法律保障。在實行這些權利方面，不應該區分外僑和公民。只有按照《公約》合法實施的限制規定才能夠限制外僑的這些權利。
8. 一旦外國人合法入境，就只能夠按照第十二條第3款的規定來處理是否應限制他的境內遷徙自由和離開該國的權利。有關外僑和本國人之間或不同種類的外僑之間在這方面的差別待遇必須符合第十二條第3款的規定。因爲這些限制尤其不應該影響到《公約》所承認的其他的權利，所以一個締約國絕對不應該爲了任意阻止一個外僑返回他的本國而扣留他或將他驅逐至某一第三國(第十二條第4款)。
9. 許多報告中關於第十三條所涉各項問題的資料都很不夠。本條適用于旨在強制外僑離境的一切程式，不論它是出於國內法所規定的驅逐出境或其他罪名。如果此類程式導致逮捕，則亦可能應該適用《公約》中有關剝奪自由(第九和第十條)的保障條款。如果逮捕的目的是特別爲了引渡，則可能應該適用國內法和國際法的其他規定。通常都必須准許被驅逐的外僑前往同意收容他的任何一個國家。第十三條所規定的特別權利僅保護合法進入締約國領土的外僑。這就是說，在確定此項保護的範疇時，必須考慮到有關入境和居留條件的國內法；居留超過法定期限或其入境許可所准許的居留期限的非法入境者和外僑尤其不受其條款的保護。但是，如果對某一外僑的入境或居留的合法性發生爭議，那麽，就必須按照第十三條的規定來作出有關涉及將他驅逐出境的此一爭議的任何決定。締約國主管當局有義務依照善意原則行使其權力，以適用並解釋國內法，但須遵守《公約》所規定的諸如在法律之前一律平等之類的規定(第二十六條)。
10. 第十三條僅僅直接規定驅逐出境的程式，而非實質性理由。但是，由於它規定只有“按照依法作出的決定”才可以被驅逐出境，所以它的宗旨顯然是爲了防止任意驅逐出境。另外一方面，它規定外僑均有權就其案件得到一種判決；因此，第十三條就有容許關於集體或成批驅逐出境的法律或判決。委員會認爲，此項瞭解可由下列的其他規定加以證實，即該條規定了提出反對驅逐出境的理由和使他的案件判決得到主管當局或由該當局所指定的人員進行復審，並爲此目的而請人擔任代表。外僑必須能夠獲得有關尋求其反對驅逐出境的補救辦法的充分的便利，以期有效行使他的全部訴訟權利。只有在遇有“國家安全的緊迫原因另有要求”的情況下，才可能不適用第十三條內有關反對驅逐出境的申訴權利和有關由主管當局進行復審的權利的原則。在適用第十三條時，不得區別對待不同類別的外僑。
General Comment No. 15（1986/04/11）
1. Reports from States parties have often failed to take into account that each State party must ensure the rights in the Covenant to “all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction” (art. 2, para. 1). In general, the rights set forth in the Covenant apply to everyone, irrespective of reciprocity, and irrespective of his or her nationality or statelessness.
2. Thus, the general rule is that each one of the rights of the Covenant must be guaranteed without discrimination between citizens and aliens. Aliens receive the benefit of the general requirement of non-discrimination in respect of the rights guaranteed in the Covenant, as provided for in article 2 thereof. This guarantee applies to aliens and citizens alike. Exceptionally, some of the rights recognized in the Covenant are expressly applicable only to citizens (art. 25), while article 13 applies only to aliens. However, the Committee’s experience in examining reports shows that in a number of countries other rights that aliens should enjoy under the Covenant are denied to them or are subject to limitations that cannot always be justified under the Covenant.
3. A few constitutions provide for equality of aliens with citizens. Some constitutions adopted more recently carefully distinguish fundamental rights that apply to all and those granted to citizens only, and deal with each in detail. In many States, however, the constitutions are drafted in terms of citizens only when granting relevant rights. Legislation and case law may also play an important part in providing for the rights of aliens. The Committee has been informed that in some States fundamental rights, though not guaranteed to aliens by the Constitution or other legislation, will also be extended to them as required by the Covenant. In certain cases, however, there has clearly been a failure to implement Covenant rights without discrimination in respect of aliens.
4. The Committee considers that in their reports States parties should give attention to the position of aliens, both under their law and in actual practice. The Covenant gives aliens all the protection regarding rights guaranteed therein, and its requirements should be observed by States parties in their legislation and in practice as appropriate. The position of aliens would thus be considerably improved. States parties should ensure that the provisions of the Covenant and the rights under it are made known to aliens within their jurisdiction.
5. The Covenant does not recognize the right of aliens to enter or reside in the territory of a State party. It is in principle a matter for the State to decide who it will admit to its territory. However, in certain circumstances an alien may enjoy the protection of the Covenant even in relation to entry or residence, for example, when considerations of non-discrimination, prohibition of inhuman treatment and respect for family life arise.
6. Consent for entry may be given subject to conditions relating, for example, to movement, residence and employment. A State may also impose general conditions upon an alien who is in transit. However, once aliens are allowed to enter the territory of a State party they are entitled to the rights set out in the Covenant.
7. Aliens thus have an inherent right to life, protected by law, and may not be arbitrarily deprived of life. They must not be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; nor may they be held in slavery or servitude. Aliens have the full right to liberty and security of the person. If lawfully deprived of their liberty, they shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of their person. Aliens may not be imprisoned for failure to fulfil a contractual obligation. They have the right to liberty of movement and free choice of residence; they shall be free to leave the country. Aliens shall be equal before the courts and tribunals, and shall be entitled to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law in the determination of any criminal charge or of rights and obligations in a suit at law. Aliens shall not be subjected to retrospective penal legislation, and are entitled to recognition before the law. They may not be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with their privacy, family, home or correspondence. They have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and the right to hold opinions and to express them. Aliens receive the benefit of the right of peaceful assembly and of freedom of association. They may marry when at marriageable age. Their children are entitled to those measures of protection required by their status as minors. In those cases where aliens constitute a minority within the meaning of article 27, they shall not be denied the right, in community with other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practise their own religion and to use their own language. Aliens are entitled to equal protection by the law. There shall be no discrimination between aliens and citizens in the application of these rights. These rights of aliens may be qualified only by such limitations as may be lawfully imposed under the Covenant.
8. Once an alien is lawfully within a territory, his freedom of movement within the territory and his right to leave that territory may only be restricted in accordance with article 12, paragraph 3. Differences in treatment in this regard between aliens and nationals, or between different categories of aliens, need to be justified under article 12, paragraph 3. Since such restrictions must, inter alia, be consistent with the other rights recognized in the Covenant, a State party cannot, by restraining an alien or deporting him to a third country, arbitrarily prevent his return to his own country (art. 12, para. 4).
9. Many reports have given insufficient information on matters relevant to article 13. That article is applicable to all procedures aimed at the obligatory departure of an alien, whether described in national law as expulsion or otherwise. If such procedures entail arrest, the safeguards of the Covenant relating to deprivation of liberty (arts. 9 and 10) may also be applicable. If the arrest is for the particular purpose of extradition, other provisions of national and international law may apply. Normally an alien who is expelled must be allowed to leave for any country that agrees to take him. The particular rights of article 13 only protect those aliens who are lawfully in the territory of a State party. This means that national law concerning the requirements for entry and stay must be taken into account in determining the scope of that protection, and that illegal entrants and aliens who have stayed longer than the law or their permits allow, in particular, are not covered by its provisions. However, if the legality of an alien’s entry or stay is in dispute, any decision on this point leading to his expulsion or deportation ought to be taken in accordance with article 13. It is for the competent authorities of the State party, in good faith and in the exercise of their powers, to apply and interpret the domestic law, observing, however, such requirements under the Covenant as equality before the law (art. 26).
10. Article 13 directly regulates only the procedure and not the substantive grounds for expulsion. However, by allowing only those carried out “in pursuance of a decision reached in accordance with law”, its purpose is clearly to prevent arbitrary expulsions. On the other hand, it entitles each alien to a decision in his own case and, hence, article 13 would not be satisfied with laws or decisions providing for collective or mass expulsions. This understanding, in the opinion of the Committee, is confirmed by further provisions concerning the right to submit reasons against expulsion and to have the decision reviewed by and to be represented before the competent authority or someone designated by it. An alien must be given full facilities for pursuing his remedy against expulsion so that this right will in all the circumstances of his case be an effective one. The principles of article 13 relating to appeal against expulsion and the entitlement to review by a competent authority may only be departed from when “compelling reasons of national security” so require. Discrimination may not be made between different categories of aliens in the application of article 13.
