Apr 16, 2012 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
Under the second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism, the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on the UPR will be undertaking a review of Sri Lanka during its 14th session.
In a submission to the Working Group, the ICJ has focused on the discrete issues of:
- the failure of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission and previous national commissions of inquiry to hold accountable those responsible for serious human rights violations;
- the systemic barriers affecting the efficacy of the habeas corpus writ as legal remedy for arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance;
- the ongoing detention of Sri Lankans in “rehabilitation camps” and the lack of any independent monitoring mechanism;
- Sri Lanka’s failure to implement witness protection measures;
- Sri Lanka’s failure to properly incorporate the Convention Against Torture into domestic law; and
- Sri Lanka’s party status to international human rights instruments and its cooperation with the UN treaty bodies and the Council’s Special Procedures.
Sri Lanka-ICJ submission UPR-non-judicial submission-2012 (full text in English, PDF)
Sri Lanka-Comparison second cycle-advocacy-2012 (full text in English, PDF)
Apr 13, 2012 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
Under the second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism, the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on the UPR will be undertaking a review of the Republic of Korea during its 14th session.
In a submission to the Working Group, the ICJ has focused on the discrete issues of the implementation by South Korea of its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and its party status to international human rights instruments and its cooperation with the UN treaty bodies and the Council’s Special Procedures.
Korea-ICJ submission UPR-non-judicial submission-2012 (full text in English, PDF)
Korea-Comparison second cycle-advocacy-2012 (full text in English, PDF)
Mar 30, 2012 | Advocacy
During the 19th session of the Human Rights Council, the ICJ made an oral statement during the Council’s consideration and adoption of the outcome document in the Universal Periodic Review of Thailand.
The statement focussed on issues of impunity and special security laws operating in the southernmost provinces of Thailand, and called on the Government of Thailand to abolish provisions of the Marshal Law Act and Emergency Decree concerning immunity for State officials and to review security laws.
Thailand-oral intervention UPR-advocacy-2012 (full text in English, PDF)
Mar 30, 2012 | Advocacy
During the 19th session of the Human Rights Council, the ICJ made an oral statement during the General Debate concerning situations that require the Council’s attention.
Welcoming the initiative of the United States of America to introduce a draft resolution on promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka, the ICJ emphasised that this initiative should receive wide support by Council members as an important first step to ensure that action towards reconciliation is taken, not just words.
Sri Lanka-oral intervention-advocacy-2012 (full text, PDF)
Mar 29, 2012 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ, AI and HRW express their concern that the human rights situation in Nepal remains precarious and that accountability for wartime abuses is being put further and further out of reach.
During the Human Rights Council’s 19th session in Geneva, on 27 February to 23 March 2012, the ICJ – in a joint statement with Amnesty International (AI) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) – made an oral statement in the General Debate under item 2 of the Council agenda (concerning reports of the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights – OHCHR). On the even of the departure of the OHCHR from Nepal, the ICJ, AI and HRW expressed their concern that the human rights situation in Nepal remains precarious and that accountability for wartime abuses is being put further and further out of reach.
Nepal-joint statement Human Rights Council-non-legal submission-2012 (full text in English, PDF)
Mar 29, 2012 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ made a written statement on Nepal to the Human Rights Council during its 19th session in Geneva.
More than five years since the end of the armed conflict in Nepal, international monitoring mechanisms established to scrutinise progress in the peace process in the country have effectively ceased to function, despite the failure to conclude the peace process and establish the agreed-upon transitional justice mechanisms.
The ICJ statement focuses on amnesty provisions in transitional justice legislation; proposed pardons, and the appointment of alleged rights violator to Government; and lack of investigations and withdrawal of cases.
Nepal-Written statement ICJ-non-judicial submission-2012 (full text in English, PDF)
