Before the UN Human Rights Concil, the ICJ called today upon States to serious address the enduring impunity for crimes under international law and gross human rights violations committed in rendition and secret detention programmes and practices.
To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the massacre of 34 people in Roboski, Southeast Turkey, and take stock of the continuing lack of accountability and reparations for the victims and their family members, the ICJ convened a group of experts on 13 December.
“The Roboski massacre was carried out in clear violation of international human rights law”, said Roisin Pillay, Director of the ICJ Europe and Central Asia Programme, “Since then, the Turkish authorities have further violated their international obligations by failing to provide investigation or accountability for the arbitrary killings. Ten years later, the Turkish authorities must end this impunity.”
On 28 December 2011, 34 persons living in Turkish villages near the border with Iraq, including 17 children, were killed by a Turkish military bombshell during a purported “counter-terrorism” operation, known as the “Roboski massacre”.
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers decision notifying Turkey it will start infringement proceedings over its failure to comply with the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) order to free the jailed human rights defender Osman Kavala is a welcome step, Human Rights Watch, the International Commission of Jurists, and the Turkey Litigation Support Project said today.
The ICJ expressed concern today at the use of abductions in national security cases in Turkey and the enduring impunity for enforced disappearances in certain Latin American countries, during the interactive dialogue with the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disapparances at the UN Human Rights Council.
The ICJ today expressed its concern at the arbitrary detention of several human rights defenders in Egypt, India and Turkey during the interactive dialogue with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention before the UN Human Rights Council.
Sri Lanka: ICJ calls for repeal or substantial revision of Online Safety Act
The International Commission of Jurists Welcomes Our New Commissioners
Lebanon: Ensure draft media law upholds free expression
Nepal: Protesters Demand Integrity, Rights, Rule of Law