Sep 21, 2015 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
Today, the ICJ and Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) made a joint submission to the Human Rights Council’s Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review in advance of the Human Rights Council’s review of Thailand in April/May 2016.
In their submission, the ICJ and TLHR expressed concern about the following issues:
(1) the impact of the new legal and institutional framework, imposed since the May 2014 coup d’état, on human rights in Thailand;
(2) instances of suspected enforced disappearance and torture; and
(3) issues concerning international human rights instruments and mechanisms.
A copy of the submission can be found here:
THAILAND-UPR SUBMISSION FINAL AS LODGED-Advocacy-Non legal submission-2015-ENG (full text in PDF)
Sep 21, 2015 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
Today, the ICJ made a submission to the Human Rights Council’s Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review in advance of the Human Rights Council’s review of Swaziland in April/May 2016.
In its submission, the ICJ expressed concern about the following issues:
1) independence and impartiality of the judiciary and fair trial rights; and
2) international human rights instruments and mechanisms.
A copy of the submission can be found here:
Swaziland-ICJ-UPR-SWAZI SUBMISSION FINAL AS LODGED-Advocacy-2015-ENG (full text in PDF)
Sep 18, 2015 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ today delivered an oral statement at the UN Human Rights Council in the General Debate on item 3, concerning judicial accountability, and on the link between ESC rights and enforced or involuntary disappearances.
In the statement, the ICJ welcomed the focus on judicial reform and accountability of judges in the report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence.
The ICJ also welcomed the initiative of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances to address more systematically and comprehensively the relationship between disappearances and the realization (or lack thereof) of economic, social and cultural rights.
The full statement may be downloaded in PDF format, here: UN-Advocacy-HRC30-OralStatement-GDItem3-2015-ENG
Sep 16, 2015 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ today delivered an oral statement at the UN Human Rights Council, in the interactive dialogue with the Working Group on Mercenaries on its report on private military and security companies.
The full statement may be downloaded in PDF format here: UN-Advocacy-HRC30-OralStatement-WGMercenaries-2015
Sep 15, 2015 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ today made an oral statement at the UN Human Rights Council, welcoming the presentation of UN Basic Principles and Guidelines on the right to challenge detention, and a report on forced labour and slavery in supply chains.
The statement was made during an Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery.
The ICJ said that the implementation of the Basic Principles and Guidelines would help prevent governments from depriving people of liberty solely for exercising freedoms of opinion and expression; peaceful assembly and association; thought, conscience and religion; or on the basis of discrimination. Such violations are often achieved by circumventing or suspending essential legal procedural protections such as habeas corpus.
The ICJ noted that the right to challenge detention is also a key safeguard against incommunicado or secret detention, enforced disappearance, and torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
The ICJ welcomed the attention the Working Group has given to the challenging contexts of counter-terrorism and armed conflicts, where such concerns are particularly acute.
The ICJ also welcomed the report of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, addressing the issue of modern slavery and forced labour in supply chains, and the Rapporteur’s emphasis on the right to an effective remedy. In addition to the international legal and policy frameworks and continuing efforts by States and businesses outlined in the report, the ICJ noted that UN treaty-bodies have produced useful guidance and recommendations, such as the General Comment adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2013, on State obligations regarding the impact of the business sector on children’s rights.
The full statement may be downloaded in PDF format here: UN-Advocacy-Oral statementWGADandSRslavery-2015
Earlier in the week, the ICJ published a legal commentary on certain aspects of the Principles and Guidelines, related to situations of armed conflict. The commentary is available here.
Sep 14, 2015 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
In advance of the UN Human Rights Council’s adoption of the outcome of its review of the Maldives’ human rights record as part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, the ICJ has submitted a written statement.
It highlights the Maldives’ failure to accept and implement a number of member states’ UPR recommendations.
In particular, the ICJ pointed out the urgent need for Maldives to accept and implement recommendations regarding the following issues, among others:
- Strengthening the independence and impartiality of the judiciary;
- Strengthening the independence and impartiality of the Judicial Service Commission;
- Strengthening the National Human Rights Commission, in accordance with the Paris Principles;
- Strengthening women’s representation in the judicial profession;
- Immediately releasing former president Mohamed Nasheed and other political prisoners, and ensuring the fairness of any further legal proceedings in such cases; and
- Safeguarding freedom of expression and media, association and peaceful assembly by investigating cases of human rights abuse and violations against journalists, civil society and human rights defenders, and taking effective measures to prevent further abuses
The Council will consider member states’ UPR recommendations for the Maldives during its 30th session on 24 September 2015, ahead of which the Maldives government will be expected to formally respond and indicate which of the recommendations it will commit to implement.
