• Structure and methodology The Commentary proceeds article by article, with paragraph numbers, in order to facilitate the quickest reference to specific problems. Thus, Arts. 1-53 of the CCPR and Arts. 1-14 of the first Optional Protocol relating to the individual communications procedure are analyzed as well as Arts. 1-11 of the Second Optional Protocol (which entered into force on 11 July 1991, 86 ratifications as at 1 January 2019 – abolition of the death penalty). • Comparative law elements The reader’s attention is – whenever appropriate – drawn to other international conventions (universal and regional) and the case law of the respective organs, especially to the European Convention on Human Rights and the ECtHR.