Lesotho

Declaration:

"In response to article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol, in accordance with the Lesotho Defence Force Act of 1996, section 18 thereof, the minimum age at which the Government of Lesotho permits voluntary recruitment into the national armed forces is when the interested person has already attained the age of 18.
Such recruitment is voluntary as would be recruits submit applications for advertised vacancies in the armed forces.”

Reservation:

"The Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho declares that it does not consider itself bound by article 2 to the extent that it conflicts with Lesotho's constitutional stipulations relative to succession to the throne of the Kingdom of Lesotho and law relating to succession to chieftainship.”

"The Kingdom of Lesotho will interpret the exemption accorded to members of a consular post by paragraph 3 of article 44 from liability to give evidence concerning matters connected with the exercise of their functions or to produce official correspondence and documents relating thereto as not extending to matters, correspondence or documents connected with the administration of the estate of a deceased person in respect of which a grant of representation has been made to a member of a consular post."

Reservations:

"Pursuant to article 12 of the said Convention, the Govern- ment of the Kingdom of Lesotho declares that the provisions of this article will not apply in respect of broadcasts made for non-profit making purposes or where communication to the public in public places is not the result of a purely commercial activity;
With regard to article 13:

". . . [The Kingdom of Lesotho] does not consider itself bound by the provisions of item (d)."

"1. In accordance with article 38 of the Convention, the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho declares that it understands articles 8 and 9 as not preventing it from taking in time of war or other grave and exceptional circumstances measures in the interest of national security in the case of a stateless person on the ground of his former nationality. The provisions of article 8 shall not prevent the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho from exercising any rights over property or interests which they may acquire or have acquired as an Allied or Associated Power under a Treaty of Peace or other agreement or arrangement for the restoration of peace which has been or may be completed as a result of the Second World War. Furthermore the provisions of article 8 shall not affect the treatment to be accorded to any property or interests which at the date of entry into force of this Convention in respect of Lesotho were under the control of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or of the Government of Lesotho by reason of a state of war which existed between them and any other State.
"2. The Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho cannot undertake to give effect to the obligations contained in paragraphs 1 and 2 of article 25 and can only undertake to apply the provisions of paragraph 3 so far as the laws of Lesotho allow.
"3. The Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho shall not be bound under article 31 to grant to a stateless person a status more favourable than that accorded to aliens generally."

"Article III is accepted subject to reservation, pending noti- fication of withdrawal in any case, so far as it relates to: Matters regulated by Basotho Law and Custom."