The ICJ made an intervention in the Human Rights Council during the Interactive Dialogue with the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights following her update report on the situation in Syria.
The ICJ and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) stressed that accountability for human rights violations and alleged crimes is paramount, including for all those under the command of the Syrian authorities.
These include members of the Presidential Guard, the Fourth Division of the Army and the Shabbiha “civilian militia” forces.
The ICJ and OMCT welcomed the resolution adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council, strongly condemning the continued grave and systematic human rights violations committed by the Syrian authorities and establishing an independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate the human rights situation in the country.
Syria-violation of human rights-non-legal submission-2011 (full text, PDF)
During a second special session on the human rights situation in Syria, the ICJ and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) addressed the Human Rights Council.
They welcomed the strong terms of the draft resolution before the Council and called for unanimous adoption of the resolution; they also called for action by all States in their capacity as members of the Security Council, or as States who might influence the Security Council, to urge the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
Syria-violation of human rights-non-legal submission-2011 (full text, PDF)
Photo by Freedom House
Since 1963, under the framework of a State of Emergency, serious and widespread human rights violations have been committed in Syria, including torture and other ill-treatment, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary arrests and detentions.
Suspected political opponents, human rights lawyers and other defenders have been regularly and arbitrarily detained, ill-treated and, in many cases, held without charge or trial for several years. Others have been convicted and sentenced, under the emergency law and other restrictive dispositions of the Syrian Penal Code (in particular Articles 267,273, 285, 286, 287, 288, and 307),to lengthy prison terms after grossly unfair trials before military courts, the Supreme State Security Court (SSSC), or civilian courts.
In spite of the persistent and consistent reports of these human rights violations, Syrian authorities have failed to investigate them promptly and independently, and to bring to justice State officials and laws enforcement officers allegedly responsible for these violations. They have enjoyed effective impunity.
Syria-UPR submission ICJ-non-legal submission-2011 (full text, PDF)
With the strong risk that escalating repression, violence and instability in Egypt could lead to an unprecedented deterioration in the human rights situation, it is critical that the international community take up this issue.
On 3 February 2011, the ICJ joined a call by NGOs urging the UN Human Rights Council to urgently convene a Special Session on the “human rights situation in the Arab Republic of Egypt.” The Human Rights Council should use the Special Session to foster concrete measures to prevent further violations of international human rights and protect those already suffering from such violations.
Egypt-humanrightsviolations-HRC-advocacy-2011 (full text, PDF)
The ICJ addressed the persistent failure of Iran to meet many of its human rights obligations and the wave of fresh human rights violations in the country in the aftermath of the June 2009 disputed presidential election.
The ICJ urged Iran to refrain from torture and ill treatment, end violations of freedoms of expression and assembly, abolish the death penalty and co-operate with international human rights mechanisms, including the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council and the treaty bodies.
Iran-UPR-advocacy-2009 (full text, PDF)
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