Oct 3, 2019 | News
Today, ICJ and the Defender Center for Human Rights (DCHR) filed a submission to the Human Rights Council’s Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review in advance of its review of Libya’s human rights record in May 2020.
Information provided in the submission was based on the ICJ report titled Accountability for Serious Crimes under International Law in Libya: an Assessment of the Criminal Justice System, published in July 2019.
In the submission, the ICJ and DCHR drew the attention of the Working Group on the UPR to the following concerns with respect to Libya:
- Impunity for crimes under international law committed by State and non-State actors;
- The insufficient penalization of crimes under international law;
- The lack or inadequacy of investigations and prosecutions of crimes under international law;
- The systemic failure to guarantee the right to liberty and fair trial rights at pre-trial and trial stages.
The ICJ and DCHR called on the Working Group and the Human Rights Council to urge the Libyan authorities to take the following actions:
With regard to insufficient penalization of crimes under international law:
- Enact laws criminalizing war crimes, crimes against humanity and arbitrary deprivations of life (in particular arbitrary and summary executions) in line with international law;
- Amend Law No. 10 of 2013 to bring the definition of torture in line with the Convention Against Torture and the definition of enforced disappearance in line with the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and criminalize other acts of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment consistent with international law;
- Amend article 425 of the Penal Code to include a definition of the crime of slavery consistent with international law;
- Amend articles 407 and 408 of the Penal Code to criminalize rape in line with international law and standards; enact laws criminalizing all forms of sexual and gender-based violence; and repeal article 424 of the Penal Code which extinguishes a conviction for rape or indecent assault and grants a stay of execution of the penalty imposed against the perpetrator if they marry the victim; and
- Amend (or repeal) Law No. 35 of 2012, Law No. 38 of 2012 and Law No. 6 of 2015 to exclude all crimes under international law from the scope of amnesties.
With regard to the obligation to independently and impartially investigate crimes:
- Amend article 3 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CCP) to remove the requirement that an investigation can only be commenced upon the receipt of a criminal complaint, extend the three-month deadline for victims to file a complaint and remove the deadline entirely for crimes under international law and for other serious crimes under domestic law;
- Amend article 7 of the CCP to grant victims’ family members the right to file a complaint with a view to ensuring the commencement of an investigation;
- Repeal article 224 of the Penal Code to remove the power of the Minister of Justice to control and direct investigations and prosecutions by the Prosecutor’s Office; and
- Repeal Decree 388 of 2011 granting the “Supreme Security Committee” investigative powers and article 2 of Law No. 38 of 2012 permitting the use of information and evidence collected by “revolutionaries” during investigations and at trial.
With regard to the systemic failure to guarantee the right to liberty and fair trial rights at pre-trial and trial stages, amend the CCP in order to:
- Exclude the possibility of detaining an accused on the sole ground that she or he does not have a fixed place of residence;
- Set a maximum duration of pre-trial detention, and specify that any such detention should be employed as last resort only when necessary, proportionate and reasonable according to the circumstances of the case;
- Ensure that detainees are brought before an independent and impartial judicial authority promptly following arrest, and no later than 48 hours in any event;
- Include a provision recognizing the right to habeas corpus, and the right to compensation and other reparations for unlawful detention;
- Provide for the right to legal counsel from the moment of arrest in all circumstances, and repeal the provision requiring a lawyer to seek authorization from the investigating judge to speak during the interrogation of the accused;
- Require the disclosure of all evidence to the accused and allow them to make copies of the case file before a case is referred to court for prosecution; and
- Grant individuals the right to appeal any conviction and sentence on alleged errors of law and fact and to reconsideration of a conviction upon discovery of a new fact.
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Libya-UNHCR submission final-advocay-non legal submission-2019-ENG (submission in PDF)
Oct 2, 2019 | News
This support comes as the ICJ documents failure of criminal justice system on human rights accountability with its report Accountability for Serious Crimes under International Law in Libya: An Assessment of the Criminal Justice System.
At today’s launch of the publication, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), the Delegation of the European Union to Libya (EUDEL) and the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) supported calls for the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry for Libya.
The ICJ’s report examines the criminal justice framework in Libya and finds that investigations and prosecutions of crimes under international law have been limited to a handful of cases, and that future cases are unlikely meet international standards necessary to ensure fair and effective justice, in particular the rights to liberty and a fair trial and the prohibition on torture and ill-treatment.
The support by international actors echoes the ICJ’s call for the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry or similar mechanism to monitor, document and report on human rights violations in order to identify perpetrators, and gather and preserve evidence for future prosecutions, either national or international.
UNSMIL, the EU and a number of States expressed their support for the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry or similar mechanism at the 42nd session of the Human Rights Council.
The ICJ also advocated for such a mechanism in its statement to the Council on 25 September.
At the launch, ICJ Senior Legal Adviser Kate Vigneswaran said that “it’s time for States to stop working on the premise that the Libyan criminal justice system can effectively ensure accountability for crimes committed by State and non-State Actors and instead look at options for ensuring they don’t go unpunished.”
The ICJ’s report also calls on States and UN actors to ensure they adopt human rights-compliant terms in their engagement with Libya and to refrain from entering into or implementing agreements with Libyan authorities that could give rise to support for or complicity in violations of international law.
Kate Vigneswaran stated: “Human rights and accountability should underpin any agreements and engagement with Libyan actors entered into by States, rather than being sidelined in the interests of a political solution. Time has shown that the absence of human rights at the forefront of dialogue and engagement with stakeholders has failed to ensure the cessation of egregious human rights violations and abuses being perpetrated throughout the country.”
The launch, which was held in partnership with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Libya, was opened by the Netherlands’ Ambassador, H. E. Mr. Lars Tummers.
Kate Vigneswaran discussed the key findings and recommendations contained in the report. A panel comprised of ICJ Commissioner Marwan Tashani and representatives of EUDEL, EUBAM and UNSMIL responded to the report and provided insights into their work in Libya.
Oct 2, 2019 | Новости
Сегодня Международная комиссия юристов (МКЮ,) Региональное отделение Управления Верховного комиссара ООН по правам человека для Центральной Азии (УВКПЧ ООН) и Общенациональное движение «Юксалиш» организуют экспертную дискуссию по экономическим, социальным и культурным (ЭСК) правам и стандартам в Узбекистане.
Темой для четвертой экспертной дискуссии является «Доступ к правосудию в области жилищного права: международное и национальное видение». Данные дискуссии будут направлены на обсуждение права на достаточное жилище.
Обсуждения экспертов направлены на повышение осведомленности об имплементации международного права и стандартов в области ЭСК прав в национальных судах, а также на обеспечение доступа к правосудию в области ЭСК прав и эффективного использования международного права прав человека в применении ЭСК прав. Каждая встреча сопровождается выступлениями зарубежных и местных экспертов. Первая дискуссия прошла в сентябре 2018 года по международным стандартам права на труд, вторая, прошедшая в декабре 2018 года, была посвящена вопросам реализации принципа не дискриминации в судах и судебных решениях, третья, прошедшая в марте 2019, была направлена на обсуждение прав людей с инвалидностью.
Прошедшие три экспертные дискуссии объединили юристов, адвокатов, специалистов, ученых и студентов-юристов посредством интерактивных обсуждений, исследовательских работ, обзорных статей и аналитических записок.
«В последние годы в Узбекистане были проведены масштабные реформы по обеспечению жильем сельского населения путем строительства доступных жилых зданий в соответствии с обновленными стандартами. Тем не менее, при обеспечении гарантий права на жилище необходимо принятие решений посредством консультаций. Крайне важно создать возможность для различных групп высказаться по этой теме и установить открытый диалог. Мы надеемся, что сегодняшняя платформа является одним из таких инструментов для обмена мнениями», – отметил Акмал Бурханов, председатель Общенационального движения «Юксалиш».
Глава Представительства ЕС в Узбекистане, Посол Эдуард Стипрайс сказал: «Экономические, социальные и культурные права являются фундаментальными правами для каждого человека. Они также имеют фундаментальное значение для экономического развития общества. Ни один человек и ни одна компания не будут инвестировать в улучшение своего положения, если они не могут рассчитывать на свои права использовать плоды своих инвестиций».
Хелена Фрейзер, Постоянный координатор ООН в Республике Узбекистан, в своей вступительной речи отметила, что «согласно Цели 11 в области устойчивого развития к 2030 году все Государства-члены ООН обязуются «сделать города и населенные пункты открытыми, безопасными, жизнестойкими и устойчивыми. Национально-принятые задачи в рамках ЦУР для Узбекистана — это обеспечение всеобщего доступа к доступному жилью, и расширение масштабов открытого для всех планирования населенных пунктов».
«Это наше четвертое экспертное обсуждение экономических и социальных прав, которое посвящено важному вопросу права на достаточное жилище – праву, которое хорошо известно в международном праве прав человека. Мы стремимся провести конструктивную дискуссию, основанную на международном праве и лучших национальных практиках, чтобы найти способы решения ряда вопросов, связанных с правом на жилище в Узбекистане. Мы хотели бы поблагодарить делегацию ЕС за их поддержку, а также наших партнеров – Региональный Офис ООН по правам человека (УВКПЧ) для Центральной Азии и Общенациональное движение «Юксалиш», – сказала Роишин Пиллэй, Директор программы по Европе и Центральной Азии Международной комиссии юристов.
Справочная информация:
Узбекистан ратифицировал Международный пакт об экономических, социальных и культурных правах (МПЭСКП) в 1995 году. В 2014 году Комитет по экономическим, социальным и культурным правам рекомендовал Узбекистану «принять надлежащие меры, включая законодательные и другие меры, для обеспечения всех выселяемых лиц альтернативным жильем или адекватной компенсацией».
Третий национальный периодический доклад Узбекистана о выполнении положений МПЭСКП был представлен в июне 2019 года. Перечень вопросов относительно представленного отчета будет утвержден в марте 2020 года.
Экспертные дискуссии проводятся в рамках проекта «Усиление роли гражданского общества в продвижении стандартов в области экономических, социальных и культурных прав» (ACCESS), поддерживаемого ЕС через Европейский инструмент в области демократии и прав человека (EIDHR).
За более подробной информацией просим обращаться:
Дилфуза Куролова, Консультант по правовым вопросам (МКЮ), Тел.: +998 90 9050099 ; e: dilfuza.kurolova(a)icj.org
Uzbekistan-Expert discussions ESCR-News-2019-RUS
Oct 2, 2019 | News
Today, the ICJ, Regional Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for Central Asia and the Nationwide Movement “Yuksalish” are holding an Expert Discussions on economic, social and cultural rights (ESC) rights and standards in Uzbekistan.
The topic of the Fourth Expert Discussions is “Access to justice for housing rights: international and national perspectives.” This discussion will be focused on the right to adequate housing.
The Expert Discussions are aimed at increasing awareness about the implementation of international law and standards on ESC rights by national courts, to facilitate access to justice in relation to ESC rights and effective use of international human rights law for ESC rights at the national level.
Each Expert Discussion is supported by presentations of international and national experts.
The first experts’ meeting was held in September 2018 on international standards in labour rights, the second meeting – held in December 2018 touched upon the principle of non-discrimination in courts and court decisions, and the third meeting – held in March 2019 – was dedicated to the rights of people with disabilities.
These three events brought together lawyers, defense lawyers, individual experts, civil society activists, NGOs, academia representatives and law students via interactive discussions, research papers, peer review articles and policy papers.
“In recent years, large-scale work has been carried out in Uzbekistan to provide housing for the rural population through the construction of affordable residential buildings according to updated standards. However, participatory decision-making is in need to guarantee housing rights. It is vital to create opportunities for various groups to speak out on the topic and establish an open dialogue. We hope that today`s platform is one of such tools for exchange of opinions,” said Akmal Burkhanov, Chairperson of the Nationwide Movement “Yuksalish”.
Head of the EU Delegation in Uzbekistan Ambassador Eduards Stiprais said: “Economic, social and cultural rights are fundamental rights for every individual. They are also fundamental for the economic development of the society. No man and no company will invest in improving its situation unless it can rely on its right to appropriate the fruits of its investment.”
Helena Fraser, UN Resident Coordinator, noted in her opening remarks that “under Sustainable Development Goal 11 by 2030 all UN member States commit to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The nationally adopted SDG targets for Uzbekistan are to ensure access to affordable housing for all; and to increase the scale of participatory planning of human settlements”.
“These, our fourth expert discussions on economic and social rights, are devoted to the important issue of the right to adequate housing, a right that is well established in international human rights law. We aim to hold a constructive discussion, informed by international law as well as national best practices, to find ways to address an array of issues linked to housing rights in Uzbekistan. We would like to thank the EU Delegation for their support, as well as our partners – the Regional UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) for Central Asia and the Nationwide movement “Yuksalish”,” said Róisín Pillay, Europe and Central Asia Programme Director of the ICJ.
Background
Uzbekistan ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in 1995. In 2014, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recommended Uzbekistan “to take appropriate measures, including legislative and other measures, to provide all evicted persons with alternative accommodation or adequate compensation”.
The third national periodic report of Uzbekistan on implementation of provisions of the ICESCR was submitted in June 2019. The list of questions regarding the submitted report will be adopted in March 2020.
The Expert Discussions are organized in the framework of the project “Advancing Civil Society in Promoting Economic, Social and Cultural Rights’ (ESCR) Standards (ACCESS)” funded by the EU through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).
Contact
Dilfuza Kurolova, ICJ Legal consultant, t: +998 90 9050099 ; e: dilfuza.kurolova(a)icj.org
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Uzbekistan-Expert discussions ESCR-News-2019-ENG (full story in PDF)
Sep 30, 2019 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ has made a submission to the UN Human Rights Committee in advance of its forthcoming examination of Pakistan’s follow-up report under International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
In its submission, the ICJ has brought to the Committee’s attention concerns in relation to the following issues:
- Shortcomings in the legal framework relevant to enforced disappearances;
- The continuing practice of enforced disappearances and, in this context, the ongoing impunity of law enforcement and security agencies;
- The promulgation of the Actions (in aid of civil power) Ordinance, 2019; and
- The ineffectiveness of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances.
The Human Rights Committee will examine Pakistan’s follow-up report during its 127th session, which will be held in Geneva from 14 October to 9 November 2019.
The UN Human Rights Committee issued its Concluding Observations in August 2017, following its review in July 2017 of Pakistan’s first periodic report. Among its many recommendations, for follow-up the Committee prioritized recommendations related to the death penalty; enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings; and freedom of religion, conscience and belief.
The Committee requested Pakistan to provide information on the implementation on these recommendations within one year of the adoption of the Concluding Observations, which was due on in August 2018.
Pakistan submitted its follow up report to the Committee in May 2019.
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Pakistan-UNHCR submission-advocacy-non legal submission-2019-ENG(submission in PDF)
