Read the 30th 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 UK government and the new US administration must ensure that the independence of the courts, and their ability to disclose information essential to accountability for crimes of torture, is not undermined.
The main threat is the withdrawal of intelligence co-operation, the ICJ said in response to yesterday’s Divisional Court judgment in R (Binyam Mohammed) v Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
UK-US-Governments must not impede courts’ disclosure of torture allegations-web story-2009 (full text, PDF)
The ICJ urges the Government of Nepal to ensure that legislation on Disappearances and Truth and Reconciliation are adopted through regular democratic process and not by executive ordinance.
The ICJ also reiterated that adoption of such legislation should follow broad based national consultation and should fulfil Nepal’s human rights obligations.
Nepal-Government should allow parliament to debate-Press releases-2009 (full text, PDF)
The ICJ applauds the signing of four executive orders by President Barack Obama aimed to reverse some of the most abusive policies and practices instituted by the previous administration in its “war on terror”.
“The new administration has taken as among its first order of business a process of restoring the rule of law to its counter-terrorism programs”, said Wilder Tayler, Acting ICJ Secretary General. “These steps should initiate a full repeal or revision of the laws, policies and practices that had such a corrosive effect on human rights and the rule of law both domestically and globally. It should also encourage other States to help bring arbitrary detention at Guantanamo to an end, including by accepting detainees for resettlement.”
United States-ICJ welcomes first steps to restore human rights in countering terrorism-web story-2009 (full text, PDF)
The ICJ today expressed its grave concern at the murder in Moscow yesterday of prominent human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov and called for a thorough, prompt and independent criminal investigation.
Russian Federation-ICJ calls for investigation and accountability-Press releases-2009 (full text, PDF)
Strong push back against US sanctions on the International Criminal Court at UN Human Rights Council
ECtHR Grand Chamber Ruling in Semenya v. Switzerland: Joint Statement of Third-Party Interveners
UN Human Rights Council struggles to fulfil its mandate in the midst of global attacks on human rights, the rule of law and multilateralism
South Africa: ICJ urges high court to apply international law protecting migrants and refugees from discrimination and xenophobia in case involving vigilante attacks