The ICJ today expressed its shock at the gang-land style assassination of Judge Antônio José Machado Dias (48, photo) who was shot in the chest and head by two gunmen as he drove home on 15 March.
Judge Machado Dias had been responsible for overseeing the operations of the high security prisons where Brazil’s top organized crime bosses are being detained.
The ICJ is alarmed at a decision of a US federal appellate court effectively allowing the Government to deprive persons detained during counter terrorism operations of fundamental human rights and legal protections.
The ICJ sent an intervention today to the President of Colombia expressing its concern about attacks on Agustín Jiménez Cuello, a lawyer and president of the Committee in Solidarity with Political Prisoners (CSPP).
Mr. Jiménez recently received death threats as a result of his work for the CSPP. Attacks on CSPP staff have been a recurrent phenomenon for years. The ICJ urged the Colombian Government to take all necessary measures to guarantee the safety of Mr. Jiménez and other members of the CSPP. The ICJ also called for an independent investigation of the threats and asked that the responsible parties be brought to justice.
The ICJ addressed an intervention to the President of Guatemala expressing its concern about attacks on Roberto Romero, a lawyer for the Myrna Mack Foundation.
Mr Romero received death threats and his home was attacked by unknown individuals days before the re-opening of proceedings against military officers accused of ordering the murder twelve years ago of anthropologist, Myrna Mack.
The ICJ requested the Guatemalan Government to take necessary measures to guarantee the safety of all members of the Mack Foundation, including Mr Romero, and to ensure protection for all those involved in seeking justice in this case.
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