(Papua New Guinea ratified the ICCPR on July 21, 2008. (http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-4&chapter=4&lang=en) Since then, it has been cited at least once by the Supreme Court, in July 2010. Though the Papua New Guinea Supreme Court citation of international human rights norms as a whole is limited compared to countries in the region such as New Zealand and Fiji, it will be interesting to see if the recent ratification of the ICCPR leads to more ICCPR and human rights norms citations, as the July 2010 case would suggest.)
The Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea decided on an issue concerning the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates (OLIPPAC), a law which put restrictions on elected officials switching parties, ostensibly to avoid a “musical chairs” of political party membership. Under OLIPPAC, a candidate could not be endorsed by more than one political party, and after the election, the elected official had to remain a member of his or her chosen political party for a given amount of time. He or she would then be subject to investigation if he or she did switch. Thus, there was concern that this would force elected officials to go along with the party and become yes men or women, lacking freedom to vote their conscience rather than with their party, and also the freedom to switch parties when they felt that their own views had become convergent with those of the party.
The Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea called this a “draconian” law. “A person’s right to hold political beliefs and to enjoy that right individually or in association with likeminded persons, ought not be restricted or prohibited in any democracy. This right, amongst other human rights, is recognised as an inherent and unalienable right under the International Bill of Human Rights (1978) and the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), both of which PNG has ratified.” The Court then struck down the relevant provisions of OLIPPAC. The Court seemed to do so mostly on grounds that OLIPPAC was unconstitutional, but nevertheless, the ICCPR was cited for support.
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