Sri Lanka : the ICJ shares the UN High Commissioner´s concern at the situation in the country

Sri Lanka : the ICJ shares the UN High Commissioner´s concern at the situation in the country

The ICJ expressed concern at the deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka and welcomed the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ emphasis on countering discrimination, including on the grounds of sexual orientation.

The ICJ also called on the Council to consider establishing a dedicated mandate – such as the Early-warning Commission – to identify the emergence of human rights violations in crisis situations and make recommendations to the UN to prevent human rights violations and ensure accountability of their perpetrators.

SriLanka-humanrightsviolations-web story-2010 (full text, PDF)

 

Torture is a serious crime, not “poor judgment”

Torture is a serious crime, not “poor judgment”

The ICJ today deplored the decision of the US Justice Department to clear the legal architects of the US torture policy from any professional misconduct.

The decision by Associate Deputy Attorney General (ADAG) David Margolis reversed the July 2009 findings of the Office of Professional Conduct (OPR) that Bush administration legal advisers John Yoo and Jay Bybee had engaged in professional misconduct by giving advice which approved as lawful the program of “enhanced interrogation”. This program consisted in clear acts of torture and ill treatment.

The OPR had been poised to refer Yoo and Bybee, who is presently a US federal judge, for disciplinary action by the state regulatory authorities. The ADAG report, while affirming that the legal advisers had exercised ‘poor judgement’, determined that they had not breached rules of misconduct because it could not be established that they had intended to give misleading advise.

USA-torture serious crime-press release-2010 (full text, PDF)

Photo by acameronhuff

Authorities must provide justice for torture and murder of 15-year-old Maina Sunuwar

Authorities must provide justice for torture and murder of 15-year-old Maina Sunuwar

International and local human rights organizations have today urged the Nepali authorities to stop obstructing criminal proceedings over the alleged torture and murder of 15-year-old Maina Sunuwar by four army officers.

Nepal-Authorities must provide justice for torture and murder-press release-2010 (full text, PDF)

See also the open letter Government obstruction of justice and defiance of judicial authority

ICJ urges the government and Nepal army to respect civilian jurisdiction in the case of Maina Sunuwar

ICJ urges the government and Nepal army to respect civilian jurisdiction in the case of Maina Sunuwar

The ICJ today urged action by the Government to ensure respect for civilian jurisdiction in the Maina Sunuwar case.

The Nepal Army has acknowledged that Maina Sunuwar died following prolonged torture at the Nepal Army’s Birendra Peacekeeping Training Centre in Panchakhal on 17 February 2004.

However, it has refused to recognize civilian court jurisdiction as established by the Supreme Court’s September 2007 decision, and to surrender Major Niranjan Basnet to the Kavre District Court pursuant to a 31 January 2008 arrest warrant.

Nepal-civilian jurisdiction-press release-2010 (full text, PDF)

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