Aug 13, 2010 | Events
On 13th and 14th August 2010, the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) held their Half Annual General Meeting in Dodoma, Tanzania, with Arnold Tsunga, Director of the ICJ Africa Regional Programme, as a guest speaker.
The theme of the meeting was The TLS at 56 – Interrogating the Role of the Law Society in Consolidating Rule of Law and Democracy in Tanzania. Arnold Tsunga (photo) presented a paper at the meeting titled “Rule of Law and Elections in Africa – Recent Experiences.
Tanzania-Law election experiences-event-2010 (full text in English, PDF)
Aug 12, 2010 | Agendas, Events
The ICJ has invited to a 4-day Camp around 35 experts from the SADC regions to exchange experience, identify risks, difficulties and opportunities for a better protection and enjoyment of ESC rights.
Although economic, social and cultural rights continue suffering from prejudices against their legal nature and their ability to be enforced by courts, developments in international and national law in the last two decades have reinforced their status as “real” human rights as well as their equal value and importance.
At the regional level, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights particularly emphasizes the interdependence of human rights. Moreover, the Charter does not differentiate between provisions for the realization of economic, social and cultural rights and those for the realization of civil and political rights.
Such equal treatment provides the possibility to challenge states’ reluctance or failure to protect, promote and fulfill socio- economic rights in the South Africa Development Community (SADC).
However, most challenges to human rights violations in the SADC region have tended to focus on violations of civil and political rights even though economic and social rights are daily concerns of the people. This gap is particularly due to a lack of capacity of the lawyers and human rights activists as well as social justice practitioners who are interested in socio-economic rights advocacy and litigation.
In order to contribute to reduce this gap, the Africa regional office of the International Commission of Jurists has invited to a 4-day ESCR Camp around 35 experts from the SADC regions. Together with international experts on economic, social and cultural rights, the participants will, exchange experience, identify risks, difficulties and opportunities for a better protection and enjoyment of these human rights.
South Africa-ESCR advocacy litigation-agenda-2010 (full text in English, PDF)
South Africa-ESCR advocacy litigation-event-2010 (ful text in English, PDF)
Aug 10, 2010 | News
The ICJ and Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF) today welcomed the permanent stay of all charges against leading human rights advocate and ICJ Commissioner, Imrana Jalal.
Jul 26, 2010 | Events
The ICJ is organizing two-day trial observation training seminars on 4-5 October in Moscow and 7-8 October in Saint Petersburg.
The seminar aims to provide practical skills on how to conduct trial observations, how to assess and analyse information and data obtained, and how to draft a final trial observation report.
The seminar will address the legislative frameworks within which courts operate, including:
- the structure and functioning of the judiciary;
- the compliance of these frameworks with international rule of law and human rights standards;
- the components and guarantees of the right to fair trial;
- observing proceedings within the courtroom; and
- the conduct of meetings with the relevant authorities and other advocacy work outside the courtroom.
Participants will be introduced to international standards of trial observations with a special focus on judicial independence.
Criteria for eligibility:
- The call for applications is open to judges, lawyers (whether in private practice or affiliated to an NGO), NGO representatives, and other interested professionals. A total of 15 participants will be selected.
- Applicants must have a demonstrated interest in the rule of law and human rights law
- Applicants must have an interest in international standards of trial observation
- The working language of the seminars is Russian
Closing date for applications: 15 September 2010.
Application forms can be downloaded below.
For any further information please contact Róisín Pillay at roisin.pillay@icj.org or Temur Shakirov at temur.shakirov@icj.org
Russian Federation-application form Moscow-event-2010 (full text in Russian, PDF)
Russian Federation-application form Saint Petersburg-event-2010 (full text in Russian, PDF)
Russian Federation-trial observation training-event-2010 (full text in Russian, PDF)
Russian Federation-trial observation training-event-2010 (full text in English, PDF)
Jul 19, 2010 | Events
The ICJ and the Judiciary of Lesotho will on 28th – 30th July 2010 hold a Judges’ Symposium in Maseru, Lesotho on the theme ‘Judicial Independence, Impartiality, Accountability and Reform in Lesotho’.
Jul 9, 2010 | News
The ICJ welcomes the Royal Thai Government’s decision to revoke the state of emergency in five provinces but calls for more.
While the ICJ understands that Thailand currently faces complex security challenges, the ICJ calls upon Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the Royal Thai Government to revoke immediately the declaration of the State of Emergency in Bangkok and in the 18 other provinces where it has been in place since May 2010.
On 6 July 2010, the Prime Minister of Thailand, with the approval of Cabinet, declared the extension of a Severe State of Emergency in the areas of Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Pathumthani, Ayutthaya, Conburi, Chiangmai, Chiangrai, Lampang, Kon-Kaen, Udon Thani, Chaiphum, Nakornrajsrima, Ubonrajthani, Nhongbualampoo, Mahasarakram, Roied, Sakonnakorn and Mukdaharn Provinces. The Severe State of Emergency was lifted in Kalasin, Nakhon Prathom, Nakhon Sawan, Nan and Si Sa Ket Provinces.
Thailand-emergency decree revoked-press release-2010 (full text in English, PDF)
Thailand-emergency decree revoked-press release-2010 (full text in Thai, PDF)
