Jurists denounce excessive use of force
Today, the ICJ denounced the indiscriminate use of force by the Russian army against civilian targets in and around Grozny, the capital of the Chechen Republic, which caused the death of hundreds of civilians.
World Summit for Social Development
The betterment of the human condition is closely related to the protection of human dignity. A life full of human dignity requires certain minimum standards in the field of civil and political liberties as well as economic and social requirements.
Judges intimidated in Tunisia
Today, the ICJ responded to the Tunisian Government about the Government’s intimidation of Tunisian judges.
Jurists denounce attacks against the independence of judges in Tunisia
Today, the ICJ denounced the pressure which has been exerted against Tunisian judges who participated in a Seminar entitled Judicial Independence and Functions in Tunisia.
The Seminar was organized between 14-24 November 1994 in Tunis by the ICJ in collaboration with the Arab Institute for Human Rights and other governmental and non-governmental Tunisian institutions.
After the Seminar ended, the Ministry of Justice in Tunis exerted direct pressure on the Tunisian participants and asked them to withdraw their support of the document entitled Sommaire d’activités des cours (Summary of the Activities of the Course), a collection of reports drafted by participants during the Seminar.
The ICJ denounce the fact that the Ministry of Justice pressured participating judges to sign a new document significantly different in content.
The entire Seminar, including the session where the original document was discussed and adopted, was videotaped. Currently, the Ministry of Justice is in possession of the only copy of the videotape.
On this occasion, the ICJ Secretary-General, Adama Dieng, said: “We see these acts as direct attacks against the independence of the judiciary in Tunisia. We hope that no reprisals have been taken against those who had the courage to refuse to bow to pressure and sign the new document.”
The ICJ gave the opportunity to the Tunisian Government to remedy the situation before making their concern public. To date, however, no adequate response has been received. The ICJ, once again, invite the Tunisian Government to take urgent measures to remedy this situation.
Philippines: assassination of attorney Eugene Tan
The ICJ’s Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers condemns the assassination of attorney Eugene Tan and his driver, Mr. Eddie Constantino.
The ICJ takes note of the Order issued by the President of the Philippines, President Ramos, to all law enforcement agencies to investigate the murders and to effect an arrest within the week.
Attorney Eugene Tan was a human rights lawyer, and the former National President of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.
On 14 November 1994, Attorney Eugene Tan and his driver, Mr. Eddie Constantino were kidnapped at gunpoint at about 7:30 in the evening near his residence, in Metro Manila. The kidnap was not announced publicly until the two bodies were later found. The car was found later in the evening at Holiday Village, Imus, Cavite.
On 18 November 1994, the bodies of both Attorney Eugene Tan and Mr. Constantino were found in Sitio Barangay Sampaloc, Cavite – south of Metro Manila. Both bodies bore signs of torture and strangulation. Several gun shots and stab wounds were evident on the bodies, as well.
The autopsy reports indicate that both were handcuffed when shot, and that Attorney Tan had 5 to 6 broken ribs. Reports attribute the cause of the death of Attorney Tan to a gun shot wound to the right temple of the head. The type of firearm used is not yet determined.
The reasons for the assassination are not yet clear. The ICJ calls on the Government of the Philippines to thoroughly investigate the assassination and to bring the perpetrators of the crime to justice, and to guarantee the protection of human rights activists in the Philippines.
ICJ publishes report on “Comfort Women”
This report published today is the outcome of an ICJ mission to the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and to Japan in April 1993 to study the issue.
The report documents the circumstances in which “sexual services” were forcibly obtained from Korean and Filipino women by the Japanese army before and during World War II. It contains the poignant testimonies of former “comfort women” who have had the courage to reveal their ordeal to the world. It also examines the legal responsibility of the present Japanese government towards these women whose numbers range between 100,000 and 200,000 and what steps must be taken to rehabilitate them.
The report is written by Ms. Ustinia Dolgopol, Lecturer at the School of Law, The Flinders University of South Australia and Ms. Snehal Paranjape, an Advocate of the Bombay High Court, India. They interviewed over 40 victims, three former soldiers, government representatives, NGOs, lawyers, academics and journalists.
The ICJ report finds that the Japanese Imperial Army was responsible for the setting up of a vast network of “comfort stations” for the “enjoyment” of the Japanese Army, before and during World War II. Chinese, Dutch, Filipino, Indonesian, Korean, Malaysian, Taiwanese and other women and girls, often as young as 13, were thrown into these “comfort stations” and “sexual services” were extracted from them through unimaginable violence and cruelty. The Japanese military was fully responsible for the setting up, use, operation and control of the “comfort stations.” Detailed regulations – which are reproduced in the Report – were framed by it in this regard.
This report urges the Government of Japan to take immediate steps to provide full rehabilitation and restitution to the victims as it is clear that it bears a moral and legal obligation towards them. It also contains a list of recommendations as to how this should be done.
The report is available at the ICJ Secretariat in Geneva.
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