The ICJ announced that it will begin observing the inquest proceedings related to the killing of 17 Action Internationale Contre la Faim (ACF) humanitarian workers in August 2006.
The ICJ today expressed deep concern after the Sri Lankan Government informed it that the ICJ’s official representative would be prevented from entering the country.
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)
The ICJ condemns today’s attack on the head of the Sri Lankan Army, Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka and the deaths of his five guards and three civilians, reportedly by a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bomber.
Thailand: Joint statement urges Thai authorities to drop charges against human rights defender Pimsiri Petchnamrob and end judicial harassment of peaceful protesters
HRC59: Statement on the High Commissioner’s report – addressing accountability gaps in Sri Lanka, Libya, and global attacks on justice
HRC59: Joint statement on the report of Special Rapporteur in Afghanistan
Israel/Iran: Israel’s attack on Iran violates international law, threatening peace and security