United Nations Human Rights Council
58th Regular Session
General Debate
Item 2
Oral Statement of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in the General Debate on Item 2
Mr. President,
As OHCHR states, in Tunisia, the authorities have continued to weaponize the judiciary to arbitrarily detain and prosecute dissenting voices, including lawyers. The authorities have also failed to hold accountable officials responsible for unlawful mass expulsion of Black African refugees and migrants, many of whom were subjected to further serious human rights violations, including, reportedly, mass rapes. We urge Tunisia to immediately take steps to restore the rule of law and judicial independence, and to guarantee accountability for victims.
The ICJ calls for continued close monitoring of Sri Lanka’s dire human rights situation, particularly in the North-East. As the previous administration before it, the new government uses the Prevention of Terrorism Act to arbitrarily detain and target activists. Accountability for past violations remains a dead letter, with domestic mechanisms proving both inadequate and unwilling to address atrocity crimes. Mass grave investigations have been compromised by the recent halt of excavations due to a lack of government funding.
In Guatemala, as OHCHR shows, the Prosecutor’s Office has misused criminal law against human rights defenders and independent judges. In light of the fact that the ongoing election process of the next Prosecutor General is politicised and untransparent, the ICJ urges the Guatemalan authorities to take steps to guarantee its integrity and credibility and calls on the international community to monitor the process.
Statement delivered by: Sandra Epal-Ratjen, International Advocacy Director
For more information, contact: Sandra EPAL-RATJEN, Sandra.epal@icj.org
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