
ICJ to send observer to Kenya trial
The ICJ today announced that it will send a leading African lawyer to observe the trial in Kenya against lawyer Pheroze Nowrojee.
The ICJ today announced that it will send a leading African lawyer to observe the trial in Kenya against lawyer Pheroze Nowrojee.
Adama Dieng, a Senegalese jurist, has been named Secretary-General of the ICJ, it was announced today in Geneva. Dieng replaces Niall MacDermot who headed the ICJ for 20 years and who retired last month.
On the 8 October, 1990, major confrontations took place at Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem between police and border guards and civilians.
The ICJ calls upon the ruling military council to hand over power to the National League for Democracy which won over 80% of the seats in the recent election for the National Assembly.
The military State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), to give it its full title, is contending that the hand over should not take place until after approval of the New Constitution. This is not only an attempt to delay the transfer of power. It is an attempt to impose a constitution satisfactory to the military authorities, rather than one drawn up by the new National Assembly and submitted to the people for approval.
The ICJ expresses its serious concern about imminent plans to adopt two important treaties in Europe with serious implications for human rights without prior parliamentary or other public consultation.
The ICJ is profoundly disturbed by the excesses of the present regime in Sudan, in particular the recent summary execution of 28 retired and in-service Army officers accused of trying to overthrow the regime.
Since Brigadier-General (later Lieutenant-General) Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir seized power on 30 June 1989, the Sudanese government has gradually dismantled the democratic institutions which the country has enjoyed since independence, including on independent judiciary.
The denial of basic human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Sudanese citizens, the wide practice of arbitrary detention, torture and summary executions appear to pave the way for a prolonged military dictatorship.
The present situation is of deep concern to all those concerned with the protection of human rights. The International Commission of Jurists calls upon the government of Sudan to end the savage repression against Sudanese citizens, either military or civilian, to release all political prisoners and to respect fully the Rule of Law.