CCPR/C/GC/36 21. The duty to take positive measures to protect the right to life derives from the general duty to ensure the rights recognized in the Covenant, which is articulated in article 2 (1) when read in conjunction with article 6, as well as from the specific duty to protect the right to life by law, which is articulated in the second sentence of article 6. States parties are thus under a due diligence obligation to take reasonable, positive measures that do not impose disproportionate burdens on them 58 in response to reasonably foreseeable threats to life originating from private persons and entities whose conduct is not attributable to the State.59 Hence, States parties are obliged to take adequate preventive measures in order to protect individuals against reasonably foreseen threats of being murdered or killed by criminals and organized crime or militia groups, including armed or terrorist groups (see also para. 23 below).60 States parties should also disband irregular armed groups, such as private armies and vigilante groups, that are responsible for deprivations of life 61 and reduce the proliferation of potentially lethal weapons to unauthorized individuals.62 States parties must further take adequate measures of protection, including continuous supervision,63 in order to prevent, investigate, punish and remedy arbitrary deprivation of life by private entities, such as private transportation companies, private hospitals64 and private security firms. 22. States parties must take appropriate measures to protect individuals against deprivation of life by other States, international organizations and foreign corporations operating within their territory 65 or in other areas subject to their jurisdiction. They must also take appropriate legislative and other measures to ensure that all activities taking place in whole or in part within their territory and in other places subject to their jurisdiction, but having a direct and reasonably foreseeable impact on the right to life of individuals outside their territory, including activities undertaken by corporate entities based in their territory or subject to their jurisdiction, 66 are consistent with article 6, taking due account of related international standards of corporate responsibility 67 and of the right of victims to obtain an effective remedy. 23. The duty to protect the right to life requires States parties to take special measures of protection towards persons in vulnerable situations whose lives have been placed at particular risk because of specific threats68 or pre-existing patterns of violence. Such persons include human rights defenders (see also para. 53 below), 69 officials fighting corruption and organized crime, humanitarian workers, journalists,70 prominent public figures, witnesses to crime71 and victims of domestic and gender-based violence and human trafficking. They may also include children, 72 especially children in street situations, unaccompanied migrant children and children in situations of armed conflict, members of ethnic and religious minorities,73 indigenous peoples,74 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons,75 persons with albinism,76 alleged witches,77 displaced persons, asylum seekers, refugees78 and stateless persons. States parties must respond urgently and effectively in order to protect individuals who find themselves under a specific threat, by adopting special measures such as the assignment of around-the-clock police protection, the issuance of protection and restraining orders against potential aggressors and, in exceptional cases, and only with the free and informed consent of the threatened individual, protective custody. 24. Persons with disabilities, including psychosocial or intellectual disabilities, are also entitled to specific measures of protection so as to ensure their effective enjoyment of the right to life on an equal basis with others.79 Such measures of protection must include the provision of reasonable accommodation when necessary to ensure the right to life, such as ensuring access of persons with disabilities to essential facilities and services,80 and specific measures designed to prevent unwarranted use of force by law enforcement agents against persons with disabilities.81 25. States parties also have a heightened duty of care to take any necessary measures to protect the lives of individuals deprived of their liberty by the State,82 since by arresting, detaining, imprisoning or otherwise depriving individuals of their liberty, States parties assume the responsibility to care for their lives83 and bodily integrity, and they may not rely on lack of financial resources or other logistical problems to reduce this responsibility.84 The same heightened duty of care attaches to individuals held in private incarceration facilities operating pursuant to an authorization by the State. The duty to protect the life of all detained individuals includes providing them with the necessary medical care and appropriate regular monitoring of their health, 85 shielding them from inter-prisoner violence, 86 preventing 5