Following the abduction and murder of Chechen human rights defender Natalya Estemirova, the ICJ today expressed its deep concern at threats to the safety of human rights defenders in Russia.
The Kazakhstan authorities should withdraw the unfounded and abusive disbarment proceedings begun this week against prominent Kazakh defence lawyer Daniyar Kanafin, the ICJ said today.
The attempt to annul Mr Kanafin’s licence to practice follows public comments in which he criticised the Kazakh law on state secrets as contrary to international law. The National Security Committee has sought his disbarment on the grounds that these comments create a negative image of the Government and of Kazakh legislation in the eyes of the international community.
Kazakhstan-ICJ calls for withdrawal of disbarment proceedings-Press Release-2009-Eng (full text, PDF)
Kazakhstan-ICJ calls for withdrawal of disbarment proceedings-Press Release-2009-Rus (full text, PDF)
Read the 35th issue of ICJ’s monthly newsletter on proposed and actual changes in counter-terrorism laws, policies and practices and their impact on human rights at the national, regional and international levels.
The ICJ is delighted to learn that the 2009 American Bar Association Rule of Law Award will be bestowed upon its affiliate, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).
The ICJ wishes to congratulate ZLHR for winning this prestigious and well-deserved award for their considerable and persistent work in the promotion and protection of human rights and the Rule of Law in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe-awardZLHR-web story-2009 (full text, PDF)
The ICJ today deplored the killing in Ingushetia of Judge Aza Gazgireeva, Deputy Chief Justice of the regional Supreme Court, who was shot dead on Wednesday outside her children’s kindergarten in Nazran.
India: Joint statement urging Indian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release human rights defender and student activist Umar Khalid
HRC60: Statement by the International Commission of Jurists in the Interactive Dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence
HRC60: International Commission of Jurists in the General Debate under Item 2
Serbia: Political leaders must cease interference with the judiciary