Ebulletin Orgs Archives: Human Rights Committee
United Nations: Human rights expert visits South Africa and the United States
In a visit to South Africa in April, Special Rapporteur Martin Scheinin examined the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Act of 2005. In a preliminary report on his visit to the United States, the expert raised a number of issues related to the treatment, detention and trial of terrorist suspects as […]
Sweden: UN experts find violation of torture ban for involvement in CIA rendition
On 10 November, the UN Human Rights Committee concluded that Sweden violated the prohibition against torture under the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights by being involved in the transfer from Sweden to Egypt by CIA operatives of Mohammed Alzery, an Egyptian asylum seeker suspected of involvement in terrorist activities. The Committee found that […]
South Korea: UN rights experts question three draft counter-terrorism laws
In its concluding observations on South Korea released on 31 October, the Human Rights Committee (HRC) called on South Korea to ensure that three draft counter-terrorism laws concerning searches, telephone tapping, interception of communications and deportation are in strict conformity with the relevant provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and to […]
USA: UN human rights experts concerned at counter-terrorism measures
In its conclusions concerning US compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), issued on 28 July, the Human Rights Committee (HRC) called on the US to close all secret detention facilities, to punish US personnel who authorized interrogation techniques amounting to torture or ill-treatment, and to allow Guantánamo detainees to challenge […]
Canada: UN experts criticize terrorism laws
The UN Human Rights Committee has expressed concern about Canada’s counter-terrorism laws and policies, in particular the broad definition of terrorism, a law preventing disclosure of certain security evidence, and the unlimited length of administrative detention of foreigners certified as security risks without effective judicial review. Other concerns related to respect for the principle of […]
Thailand: Far-reaching emergency law enacted
On 15 July, following attacks in Southern Thailand, the Prime Minister enacted a new Emergency Decree and declared a state of emergency a few days later in three southern provinces. In a new report, “More power, less accountability: Thailand’s new emergency decree”, the ICJ raised concerns regarding far-reaching and vaguely defined powers that suspend rights, […]