Global counter-terrorism inquiry begins US hearings
The Eminent Jurists Panel on Terrorism, Counter-terrorism and Human Rights opened today three days of hearings in Washington, D.C., on US counter-terrorism laws and policies.
New Zealand: The ICJ mourns passing of Commissioner Lord Cooke of Thorndon
The ICJ today mourned the passing of one of its Commissioners, Lord Robin Cooke of Thorndon, from New Zealand.
Lord Cooke was a highly-respected New Zealand jurist. He was elected to the ICJ in 1993 and was re-elected for two additional terms. Lord Cooke served as Lord of Appeal in the United Kingdom House of Lords from 1996, and was a member of the Privy Council from 1977. His prestigious career also included service as President of New Zealand’s Court of Appeal from 1986 to 1996, as a judge of that court from 1976 to 1986, and as a judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand from 1972 to 1976. Lord Cooke retired in 2001.
On numerous occasions, Lord Cooke also sat as an Appellate Justice in a number of Asia-Pacific jurisdictions, among them, the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, the Fiji Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeal of Samoa and Kiribati. He was a life member of Law Asia, the American Law Institute, the English Bar, and the International Bar Association.
An experienced and well-respected international lecturer, Lord Cooke contributed to furthering the mission of the ICJ, including by writing and lecturing on the importance for upholding the rule of law of an independent judiciary, and, on the role of the judiciary in upholding human rights and democracy.
The ICJ expressed its condolences to the family of Lord Cooke.
Draft army act flawed: parliament should start broad consultations and bring provisions into line with human rights law
The ICJ today called on the Nepali Government and the House of Representatives to ensure broad and transparent consultations before the draft Army Act is adopted.
ICJ calls on government of Malaysia to ensure protection of lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar
The ICJ today wrote to the Prime Minister of Malaysia urging that the Government ensure the protection of lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar.
ICJ launches expert legal inquiry into violations of international humanitarian law in the armed conflict in Lebanon
The ICJ has established an Expert Legal Inquiry to investigate whether and to what extent the Israeli Forces and Hezbollah violated international humanitarian and human rights laws during the Lebanon conflict.
Sri Lankan civilians urgently need protection: ICJ calls on government and LTTE to publicly state commitment to international humanitarian law
The ICJ today called on the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to abide by international human rights and humanitarian law.
The LTTE must cease any indiscriminate or targeted attacks against civilians and immediately guarantee access for independent human rights investigators, the ICJ further said.
“Civilians have borne the brunt of the recent escalation of fighting. Yet international human rights law guarantees the right to life and the fundamental rule of international humanitarian law is that those fighting must distinguish between civilian and military targets, between civilians and combatants”, said Nicholas Howen, ICJ Secretary-General.
Sri Lanka-civilian protection international humanitarian law-Press releases-2006 (full text, PDF)
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