Mar 18, 2013 | Advocacy, Events
The ICJ’s Director of the International Law & Protection Programmes today addressed an international conference on strengthening cooperation in preventing terrorism, held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
In a session focussed on measures to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, Alex Conte emphasised that it is only by avoiding the creation or maintenance of conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism – including human rights violations and lack of the rule of law – that a sustainable international effort can be achieved to combat terrorism.
Identifying numerous negative trends in the national implementation of counter-terrorism obligations, Dr Conte made concrete proposals towards international cooperation aimed at ensuring that national law and practice complies with human rights and the rule of law.
ICJ-BakuConference-Statement-2013 (download full statement in PDF)
Mar 18, 2013 | Advocacy, Cases, Legal submissions
The ICJ and Amnesty International presented a third party intervention in the case Al Nashiri v Romania before the European Court of Human Rights.
In the third party intervention, the ICJ and AI outlined developments on the prohibition of arbitrary deprivation of liberty as a rule of customary international law; on the knowledge imputable to Contracting Parties at relevant times; on the duty to investigate credible allegations of human rights violations and the right to truth; and on the evidential approach to enforced disappearances.
AlNashiri_v_Romania-ICJAIJointSubmission-ECtHR-final (download the third party intervention
Mar 15, 2013 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ today called on the Government of Sri Lanka to reconsider its rejection of key UPR recommendations on accountability and judicial independence and integrity.
In an Interactive Dialogue to consider the adoption of the outcome document on the Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka, the ICJ pointed to the urgent need for the Government to fully implement its legal obligations and commitment to initiate credible and independent actions to ensure justice, equity, accountability and reconciliation. Also pointing to the impeachment of the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka and attacks against the judiciary, the ICJ urged the Government to accept recommendations to strengthen and ensure judicial independence and the integrity of the judiciary.
The statement was made during the Human Rights Council’s 22nd regular session (25 February to 22 March 2013) under Item 6 (Universal Periodic Review), following the review of Sri Lanka in by the Council’s Working Group on the UPR.
SriLanka-HRC22-Item6-UPRSriLanka-NonLegalSubmission-2013 (download full statement in PDF)
SriLanka-UPR-StakeholderSubmission-LegalSubmission-2012 (go to webpage on the ICJ’s submission on the UPR of Sri Lanka)
Mar 14, 2013 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ today called on the Government of Pakistan to reconsider its rejection of UPR recommendations on the death penalty and enforced disappearances.
Expressing deep regret over recent events in Pakistan reversing a de facto moratorium on the imposition of the death penalty in the country, the ICJ called on the Government to accept UPR recommendations to adopt an official moratorium with a view to abolishing the death penalty in law. The ICJ also called on Pakistan to accede to the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR and to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances.
The statement was made during an Interactive Dialogue on the adoption of the UPR of Pakistan (Item 6 of the Council’s agenda) during the 22nd regular session of the Human Rights Council (25 February to 22 March 2013).
Pakistan-HRC22-Item6-NonLegalSubmission-2013 (download full statement in PDF)
Pakistan-UPR-StakeholderSubmission-LegalSubmission-2012 (go to webpage on the ICJ’s submission on the UPR of Pakistan)
Mar 5, 2013 | Advocacy, Legal submissions, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ today requested the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders to call on Zimbabwe, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Swaziland to take effective measures to prevent and end attacks on and persecution of human rights defenders.
The ICJ delivered its oral statement today during an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur as part of the Human Rights Council’s 22nd regular session (25 February to 22 March 2013).
The ICJ also noted the need for these States to:
- Ensure adherence to international standards on detention and fair trial in cases where human rights defenders have been arrested;
- Conduct prompt and impartial investigations and, where human rights abuses are criminal in character, prosecute all persons responsible; and
- Ensure that affected human rights defenders have access to effective remedies and reparation for such abuses.
Also addressed to the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders was a written statement submitted earlier this month concerning legislative restrictions on ‘homosexual propaganda’ that threaten LGBT human rights defenders.
SouthernAfrica-HRC22-IDItem3-SRHRDs-Non-LegalSubmission-2013 (download oral statement in PDF)
For the written statement click here
Feb 26, 2013 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ joined 14 other NGOs in expressing deep concern over the exclusion of civil society from the consultation process on the UN human rights treaty bodies strengthening process.
In a statement delivered by the International Service for Human Rights during an informal hearing for civil society on 26 February 2013, the continued exclusion of the Geneva-based NGO Alkarama, and the lack of transparency by which this decision was made, was criticised.
Signatories to the statement urged the facilitators of the process and UN member States to enable independent civil society to contribute to the treaty body strengthening process.
TBSP-Alkarama-NonLegalSubmission-2013 (download statement in full)
