On 22 March the ICJ together with 8 other organizations submitted and amicus curie brief in support of an action by the American Civil Liberties Union to obtain information under the US Freedom of Information Act about the CIA’s use of drones to carry out targeted killings around the world.
CIATargetedKillingsMemos-AmicusBrief-Joint-USA (download the joint amicus brief)
The ICJ is pleased with the decision of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights that parental sexual orientation is not a factor in child custody cases.
On 20 March the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that parental sexual orientation is not a factor in child custody cases and that Chile had violated Karen Atala’s rights to equality, non-discrimination and privacy when the Supreme Court of Chile removed custody of her three daughters from her because she had begun a relationship with another woman.
In its first sexual orientation case, the Court held that sexual orientation is a protected ground, included under “other social condition” in Article 1 of the American Convention on Human Rights.
The Court further stated that the best interests of the child test could not be used as a pretext for prohibited discrimination in custody cases.
The Court also found that the Supreme Court of Chile’s reliance on stereotypes and prejudices was a violation of the State’s obligation to protect rights. Finally, the Court stated that the American Convention did not protect a specific form of traditional family and that states must recognize diverse family structures.
The International Commission of Jurists was called by the Inter-American Commission as an expert and submitted written and oral testimony on the role of parental sexual orientation as a factor in child custody cases.
Decision:
(http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/articulos/seriec_239_esp.pdf)
(https://www.icj.org/dwn/database/Jernow%20Written%20Submission.pdf)
La CIJ y Rechters voor Rechters (Jueces para Jueces) hoy expresaron su preocupación al conocer que una extensión de prisión preventiva ha sido emitida contra la juez venezolana. La juez Afiuni se encuentra detenida desde el 10 de diciembre de 2009 por actos cumplidos en el ejercicio de sus funciones como titular en el Circuito Judicial Penal del Área Metropolitana de Caracas.
Venezuela-extensión detención Afiuni-press release-2011 (full text in Spanish, PDF)
The ICJ is calling on the State of Argentina to take effective measures to protect the human rights of indigenous groups which have been adversely impacted by lithium exploration and exploitation.
The ICJ expressed its concern today at the violent forced eviction of some 300 members of the campesino community Nueva Esperanza in the Department of Petén, Guatemala.
The evictees, including children and elderly persons, were forced to take refuge in the mountains or forest and have been left without shelter and means of subsistence.
Guatemala-end the forced evictions of campesinos-press release-2011 (full text, PDF)
USA/Israel/Palestine: Immediately rescind sanctions against UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese
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