Jul 13, 2011 | Events
The ICJ and other human rights group are organizing an interaction program titled “Impunity and the Non-Implementation of Judicial Rulings” to be held on the 13th annual International Justice Day.
The non-implementation of judicial decisions has been a major obstacle to the effective delivery of justice for victims of human rights violations, and has contributed to the current state of impunity in Nepal. The objective of the program is to bring together members of the judiciary, legislators, human rights defenders, prosecutorial authorities and other senior stakeholders to develop strategies to increase the effective execution of judicial decisions.
Mr. Khilraj Regmi, Right Honorable Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, will be the chief guest, and Dr. Yubraj Sangroula, Attorney General of Nepal, will be the keynote speaker of the program, jointly organized by the ICJ, the Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC), Judicial Officers’ Society (JOS) and Human Rights and Democratic Forum (FOHRID).
Jun 9, 2011 | Events
Human Rights Council Resolution 12/2 invites the Secretary-General to provide a ‘compilation and analysis of any available information’ of alleged reprisals and to formulate ‘recommendations on how to address the issues of intimidation and reprisals’.
NGO experience highlights the lack of protection for victims of reprisals and the resulting reluctance to report such cases. The absence of broader and more long-term recommendations on addressing reprisals compounds this lack of protection. This panel discussion seeks to explore ways in which various actors can raise awareness about and increase the effectiveness of the Council’s efforts to combat reprisals, including by improving protection for those concerned.
Jun 4, 2011 | Events
On 3 June, the ICJ and other human rights groups organized a parallel event at the Human Rights Council on “Combating Impunity: The Role of Judges and Lawyers in Times of Crisis”.
The panel comprised Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzón (photo), Wolfgang Kaleck (General Secretary, European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights) and Robert Husbands (OHCHR-Rule of Law and Democracy Section); Immaculada Barcia (Asian Legal Resource Centre) moderated the discussion. The meeting addressed the responsibility of jurists to protect and promote human rights vis-à-vis governmental attempts to interfere in and block investigations and prosecutions against former State officials even in the case of serious human rights violations.
Flyer-event-2011
Jun 3, 2011 | Events
The ECOWAS Court has played a commendable role in upholding human rights and the rule of law and in imposing remedies where violations have occurred.
However, its much applauded judgements and pronouncements has been followed by poor state compliance and a gap of effective implementation or enforcement measures. Failure to move from good judgements to effective implementation or enforcement thereof has continued to seriously hamper the effectiveness of the ECOWAS Court and to lessen public confidence in its role as a custodian of the rule of law and human rights in the West African sub-region.
In view of this, it is worth bringing together legal and human rights practitioners, academics and activists from West Africa to deliberate on mechanisms and strategies for an effective implementation and enforcement of judicial decisions from the ECOWAS Court. The symposium will be held in Dakar, Senegal, on 6- 7 June 2011.
Learning from positive and negative experiences from other African sub-regional courts, the discussions will focus on a wide range of topics, identify the role of sub-regional lawyers and human rights activists and put in place strategies for their active involvement in the effective implementation and enforcement of judicial decisions from the ECOWAS Court.
West Africa-judical decisions ECOWAS Court concept note-events-2011-eng (concept notes in English, PDF)
West Africa-judicial decisions ECOWAS Court programme-events-2011-eng (programme in English, PDF)
Jun 1, 2011 | Events
On 31 May, the ICJ organized a parallel event at the Human Rights Council on “The Role of Judges and Lawyers in Times of Crisis”.
The panel comprised the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers Gabriela Knaul, Carlos Ayala (former Chairman of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights) and Gerritjan van Oven (President, Judges for Judges); ICJ Legal & Policy Director Ian Seiderman moderated the discussion. The speakers addressed the special role to be played by judges and lawyers in times of crisis, as last line of defense against the exercise of arbitrary power by political, military and other actors. The meeting also marked the publication of the Legal Commentary to the ICJ Geneva Declaration on Upholding the Rule of Law and the Role of Judges and Lawyers in Times of Crisis.
Role of judges and lawyers-event-2011 (full text, PDF)
May 17, 2011 | Events
The ICJ and the Southern African Chief Justices’ Forum (SACJF) will be hosting the 2nd Judges’ Summer Colloquium on ‘Independence of the Judiciary as a Challenge to Democracy, Human Rights and Rule of Law’.
The event, to take place in Livingstone (Zambia), from 19 – 21 May, 2011 will provide space for a critical review of the current state of judicial independence in the East and Southern Africa region, by the Chief Justices from the judiciaries within the region, Judges from Zambia, and stakeholders from continental and regional institutions including the ICJ, OSISA, IAWJ, SADC LA, UN agencies, NGOs and academic institutions. Over 60 participants from national, regional and international institutions are expected to attend
Zambia-human rights and rule of law-event-2011 (full text, PDF)
