Mar 12, 2021 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
Today, the ICJ delivered a statement to the UN Human Rights Council calling for accountability for crimes against humanity committed in Myanmar during the Interactive Dialogue on the report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar.
The statement reads as follows:
“Madame President,
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) welcomes the recent report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar.
The widespread gross violations of human rights documented in the report – including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detention- underscore the need for urgent measures of accountability to redress these and to deter further violations.
ICJ has documented further evidence that the unlawful crackdown against peaceful protestors have continued to worsen leading to more extrajudicial killings. More than 50 people have already been unlawfully killed and several hundreds have been severely injured.
Hundreds of others have been arbitrarily arrested and detained, with some subjected to torture and ill-treatment. As the scale of violations continues to increase in many parts of the country, these attacks have become systematic and widespread, and must be investigated as crimes against humanity.
The ICJ therefore supports the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur, including for referral of the situation to the ICC.
The ICJ urges the Council to adopt a resolution that would strengthen and support the IIMM’s work to collect and preserve evidence for accountability; and to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, including to ensure the immediate, full and unrestricted monitoring of the situations and prompt and effective implementation of their recommendations.
Thank you.”
Contact:
Massimo Frigo, ICJ UN Representative, e: massimo.frigo(a)icj.org, t: +41797499949
Mar 11, 2021 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
Today, the ICJ called on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to guarantee transparency and participation in its activities in Venezuela in an oral statement delivered during the interactive dialogue on the oral update by the UN’s High Commissioner of Human Rights on Venezuela.
The statement reads as follows:
“Madame President,
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) welcomes the High Commissioner’s oral update on the situation of human rights in Venezuela, particularly regarding the cooperation between her office and the Venezuelan authorities.
The ICJ underscores the importance of transparency on the activities conducted under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both parties. Publication of the MoU to inform the public and ensure the optimal engagement of stakeholders is critical to its success.
The ICJ stresses that in addition to civil and political rights, economic, social, cultural rights continue to be violated in Venezuela, a situation aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As of January 2021, at least 37 health workers have died due to the lack of protective equipment and basic supplies in healthcare centers.
In light of recent announcements by Venezuelan authorities, political considerations appear to be a driving factor in the COVID-19 vaccine prioritization plan, instead of objective and public health criteria, which could lead to discrimination and a denial of equal protection of law.
The ICJ recommends that the High Commissioner monitor and report on the status of the Venezuelan authorities’ compliance with her previous recommendations, and on her broader engagement with local civil society with a view to protecting human rights.
Thank you.”
Contact:
Massimo Frigo, ICJ UN Representative, e: massimo.frigo(a)icj.org, t: +41797499949
Mar 10, 2021 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ delivered a statement today on the occasion of the interactive dialogue on the oral update by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the situation in Venezuela calling for attention to the persistence of widespread serious human rights violations in the country.
The statements reads as follows:
“Madame President,
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) welcomes the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission’s oral update on the situation in Venezuela.
The ICJ calls attention to the persistence of widespread serious human rights violations, as reported by the FFM in its 2020’s report, including extrajudicial killings.
Venezuelan authorities have wholly failed to comply with the Mission’s recommendations, including the need for “prompt, effective, thorough, independent, impartial and transparent investigations into the human rights violations and crimes”.
This underscores the deficits in judicial and prosecutorial independence that has undermined fair trial rights.
The ICJ is extremely concerned about attacks on human rights defenders and civil society organizations in Venezuela by the authorities, which include the criminalization of the defence of human rights protected under international human rights law.
Civil society organizations that were targeted in 2020 include “Acción Solidaria”, “Provea”, “Alimenta la Solidaridad” and “CONVITE”, and early this year five members of “Azul Positivo” were arbitrarily detained and continue to be harassed.
The ICJ urges that the Venezuelan authorities ensure their full cooperation with the FFM and immediately cease the attacks on human rights defenders; conduct independent investigations and bring to justice those responsible for serious human violations; and remove obstacles to access to justice for victims.
Thank you.”
Contact:
Massimo Frigo, ICJ UN Representative, e: massimo.frigo(a)icj.org, t: +41797499949
Mar 9, 2021 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
Today, the ICJ joined an oral statement at the UN Human Rights Council denouncing attacks on lawyers occurring in Iran.
The statement was delivered by IBAHRI on behalf also of ICJ, Lawyers for Lawyers, Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada and The Law Society, during the interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the ISlamic Republic of Iran.
The statement reads as follows:
“The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (the IBAHRI), the International Commission of Jurists (the ICJ), Lawyers for Lawyers, Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada, and The Law Society express deep concerns at the arbitrary arrests and detention of lawyers and others sentenced to exorbitant prison terms for legitimately carrying out their professional activities. We draw special attention to the cases of lawyers Nasrin Sotoudeh and Amirsalar Davoodi, who remain imprisoned and were excluded from Covid-19 prisoner release programmes.
Their imprisonment means that access to justice for citizens in Iran is restricted. We are alarmed by the widespread violation of fair trial guarantees, including the denial of access to a lawyer of one’s own choosing, as well as the recent application of the death penalty in Iran. We also condemn Iran’s non-compliance with international standards on conditions of detention and reports of torture of those critical of the regime.
We urge the Iranian authorities to:
- Immediately and unconditionally release Nasrin Sotoudeh, Amirsalar Davoodi and other lawyers who remain in prison after conviction in an unfair trial;
- Pending release, ensure compliance with international standards on conditions of detention;
- Ensure that lawyers and others can carry out their profession free from undue interference, including judicial harassment;
- Establish an immediate moratorium on the death penalty, pending abolishment; and
- Comply with its international legal obligations in respecting, guaranteeing, and protecting human rights.”
Find the statement here: Iran-UN-JointStatement-Lawyers-Advocacy-NonLegal-HRC46-2021-ENG
Contact:
Massimo Frigo, ICJ UN Representative, e: massimo.frigo(a)icj.org, t: +41797499949
Mar 5, 2021 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ issued a statement today on the occasion of an interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on situation of human rights defenders calling for measures of protection for lawyers who defend human rights and human rights defenders.
The ICJ was not able to read the statement during the interactive dialogue due to the limited time provided for NGO statements.
The statement was as follows:
“Madame President,
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) welcomes the Special Rapporteur’s report and agrees with her observation on the absence of political will in some States to protect Human Rights Defenders (HRDs).
As noted by the previous Special Rapporteur (A/HRC/37/51/Add.1), lawyers are HRDs when they act in their professional capacity to promote or protect human rights. Lawyers, like other defenders, are often targeted for harassment including through death threats and killings. The ICJ has recently documented such cases in Zimbabwe, Egypt and Ukraine.
The ICJ recalls that under the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, States have special protective responsibilities, namely that “[w]here the security of lawyers is threatened as a result of discharging their functions, they shall be adequately safeguarded by the authorities.”
The ICJ welcomes the Special Rapporteur’s recommendation that the international community, particularly States through Foreign Embassies and the OHCHR must react faster in addressing threats issued against HRDs. This should include situations where lawyers are threatened for doing their work.
The ICJ further welcomes the recommendation to maintain adequately resourced protection mechanisms for HRDs. In this regard, we consider strong and independent Bar Associations to be essential in helping protect the security of lawyers.
Madam Special Rapporteur, are there particular measures you would recommend for protecting lawyers when acting as HRDs?
Thank you.”
Contact:
Massimo Frigo, ICJ UN Representative, e: massimo.frigo(a)icj.org, t: +41797499949
Mar 5, 2021 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ issued a statement today on the occasion of an interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism on the need for a human rights-based approach for countering terrorism.
The ICJ was not able to read the statement during the interactive dialogue due to the limited time provided for NGO statements.
The statement was as follows:
“Madam President,
The ICJ welcomes the attention given by the Special Rapporteur to the human rights impact of counterterrorism policies on the rights of women and girls and the need to incorporate a gender perspective into counter-terrorism policy and law in all areas (See, para. 39b, UN Doc. A/HRC/46/36).
We share the Special Rapporteur’s concern that the critical State obligation to promote economic, social and cultural rights should not be absorbed into a new, generalized, non-rights based category of “economic effects of terrorism (para. 37.) The emphasis must remain squarely on preventing and redressing violations and abuses against victims (para. 36).
We agree with the Special Rapporteur that human rights obligations and counterterrorism are directed at the State and that care must be taken to avoid the blurring of lines between counterterrorism and international humanitarian law (para. 39e). We concur that States must address the rule of law and human rights effects of misuse of sanctions and listing processes to target civil society and persons exercising rights protected by international law.
The ICJ therefore calls on the Council to maintain in this matter a human rights-based approach to victims of terrorism, as stressed by the Special Rapporteur.
Thank you.”
Contact:
Massimo Frigo, ICJ UN Representative, e: massimo.frigo(a)icj.org, t: +41797499949
