22. 在这种严峻的背景下，独立专家谨提醒各国，具有约束力的国际法律框架对在公共卫生紧急状态下减损公民权利和政治权利提出了要求，主要见于《公民及政治权利国际公约》的规定。80《公约》第四条确实给予各国一定余地，在当局正式宣布紧急状态且危及国本的情况下，可以减损其条款，但仅限于紧急情况绝对必要的程度，而且减损措施不得违背各国根据国际法承担的其他义务，并且不得引起所述的任何形式的歧视。此外，根据该条款，各国不得减损某些人权，如生命权和免受酷刑或残忍、不人道和有辱人格的待遇或处罚的权利、禁止奴役以及思想、良心和宗教自由权。
22. Against that sombre background, the Independent Expert respectfully reminds States of the requirements imposed by the binding international legal framework for derogations from civil and political rights in times of a public health emergency, as provided principally under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.80 Article 4 of the Covenant does allow a degree of room for States to derogate from its provisions in a time of public emergency which threatens the life of the nation and the existence of which is officially proclaimed, but only to the extent strictly required by the exigencies of the situation, provided that the derogative measures are not inconsistent with States’ other obligations under international law and do not involve any of the stated forms of discrimination. What is more, under that provision, States are not permitted to derogate at all from certain human rights, such as the rights to life and freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, the prohibition against slavery and the rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.