Feb 20, 2007 | News
The ICJ condemned the shooting, arson and bomb attacks that occurred across the South of Thailand yesterday.
Reports say the attacks have killed eight people and injured at least 45, including at least one child.
“Thorough, prompt and impartial investigations will be needed. It is already clear that there can be no justification for these violent acts”, said Nicholas Howen, ICJ Secretary-General.
“These are criminal acts and those responsible should be brought to justice in accordance with national law and in line with international standards”, he added.
The most effective means of addressing the situation in the South remains adherence to a measured policy involving: law enforcement measures that respect human rights and the rule of law, access to justice for all victims of crimes in Southern Thailand, including prompt and fair investigations, remedies and reparations, and full and transparent consideration of the recommendations of the National Reconciliation Commission.
The ICJ expressed its condolences to the victims and their families.
Feb 19, 2007 | News
The ICJ calls on the Iranian authorities to put an immediate end to the persecution and harassment of Mrs Abdolfattah Soltani and Nasser Zarafchan (photo), two human rights lawyers.
The ICJ expresses its deepest concern about the campaign of judicial harassment against Mr. Abdolfattah Soltani, member of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre. Mr. Soltani has been imprisoned twice and is now released on bail. On 16 July 2006, the Court sentenced him to five years imprisonment for the alleged transfer of confidential information and for opposition to the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The ICJ considers that the trial of Mr. Soltani was unfair and did not meet the international standards of fair trial as guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as ratified by the Islamic Republic of Iran. “This campaign of judicial harassment against Mr. Soltani is a flagrant violation of international human rights obligations, ” said the ICJ.
The ICJ also expresses its deepest concern about the continued detention of Mr. Nasser Zarafchan, a human rights defender and lawyer, who was sentenced to 5 years on 15 of July 2002 by the Military Court of Tehran for “possession of firearms and alcohol” and for opinions that he had expressed during interviews with the press on the trial dealing with the assassinations of Iranian intellectuals, which came to a conclusion in January 2001. The ICJ considers that the condemnation was arbitrary and the procedure violated the basic principles of a fair trial. “The trial of civilians by military tribunals is a flagrant violation of the right to be tried by an independent and impartial tribunal. The Iranian authorities must immediately release Mr. Nasser Zarafchan without conditions, ” said the ICJ.
The ICJ calls the Iranian authorities to conform to its international human rights obligations and to ensure that human rights lawyers can freely carry out their legitimate work without intimidation, hindrance or harassment in accordance with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers. “The Iranian authorities must immediately stop all kind of persecution and harassment against lawyers and human rights defenders,” said the ICJ.
Iran-human rights defenders-press release-2007 (full text, PDF)
Feb 14, 2007 | News
La CIJ expresó hoy su beneplácito por el acuerdo entre Bolivia y la Oficina del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos mediante el cual se establece una oficina de este organismo en dicho país.
El establecimiento de dicha oficina presenta un importante avance en la protección de los derechos humanos y el fortalecimiento del estado de derecho en Bolivia, máxime en la actual coyuntura por la que atraviesa el país con su proceso constituyente.
La oficina del Alto Comisionado tendrá como funciones, entre otras, asesorar a las autoridades bolivianas en el cumplimiento e implementación de las obligaciones del Estado en materia de derechos humanos, como así también a la sociedad civil en la utilización de mecanismos nacionales e internacionales de protección de derechos humanos. La oficina también dará seguimiento a las recomendaciones formuladas por los órganos de derechos humanos de Naciones Unidas e informará a las autoridades competentes sobre violaciones de derechos humanos que pudieran producirse en el país. Las actividades, observaciones y recomendaciones que realice la oficina serán públicamente presentadas al Consejo de Derechos Humanos de la ONU.
En opinión de la CIJ, el establecimiento de la oficina del Alto Comisionado contribuirá al cumplimiento por parte de las autoridades bolivianas de sus obligaciones internacionales en materia de derechos humanos, entre ellas aquellas relacionadas con el fortalecimiento de la administración de justicia. La CIJ confía en que la oficina podrá prestar asesoramiento a la Asamblea Constituyente actualmente convocada en Bolivia con el fin de que se incorpore en la nueva Carta Magna la normatividad necesaria para garantizar y salvaguardar los derechos humanos y los recursos efectivos para su protección.
Feb 5, 2007 | News
The ICJ today expressed its concern at the public harassment of the legal defence team of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, including leading Russian lawyer and ICJ Commissioner, Karinna Moskalenko, in Moscow airport.
Feb 2, 2007 | News
The ICJ announced has appointed the highly respected international human rights lawyer, Wilder Tayler, as its new Deputy Secretary-General.
Feb 2, 2007 | News
The Colombian Commission of Jurists published in January 2007 a report on the human rights and humanitarian law situation in Colombia between July 2002 and June 2006.
