Jan 24, 2023 | Advocacy, News
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) condemns the mass trial by the Emergency State Security Court (ESSC) in Case No. 1357 of 2019, known as the “Joker case”, of 103 defendants, including 29 defendants who were children at the time of their arrest, in which the Court handed down 82 guilty verdicts on 15 January 2023. Most of the defendants were arrested in the Suez Governorate in September 2019 in the context of protests against the deteriorating economic conditions; while many others – including four children, who had disseminated a video of themselves on social media, wearing “Vendetta masks” and calling for demonstrations — were arrested in October 2019. Another defendant, Muhammad Ali, a former Army contractor who had published calls to protest on social media from outside Egypt, remains at large.
Jul 11, 2022 | News
As it concludes its 50th session, the UN Human Rights Council has shown that it can act to address the human rights situations in countries in crisis, such as Libya, Syria, Belarus, Afghanistan, Sudan and Eritrea. It also has been able to withstand fierce opposition from retrograde States to work to protect those suffering violence and discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. However, the Council continues to fail to address some of the direst human rights situations in powerful countries, such as the Russian Federation and China.
Jun 21, 2022 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ today denounced attacks on lawyers across the world, in particular in the Russian Federation, Myanmar, Nepal, Venezuela and Turkey, in its statement during the dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.
The statement before the UN Human Rights Council reads as follows:
“Mr President,
The ICJ welcomes this timely report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, which demonstrates that lawyers are targets of attacks, harassment, and arbitrary prosecutions and disbarment worldwide.
In the Russian Federation, contrary to international law and standards on the role of lawyers, law enforcement officials routinely impede the work of lawyers attempting to represent people detained or charged in connection with anti-war protests, including by using violence.
In Myanmar, where the judiciary is subservient to the executive, lawyers and their families face daily threats of arrest, detention and harassment solely for their professional activities.
In Nepal, the police have injured the Bar Association’s executive members, including its General Secretary, when they used excessive force against lawyers protesting against the corruption in the Supreme Court, and calling for an investigation of the Chief Justice. Similar violations occur in Venezuela.
In Turkey, legislative reforms have been introduced undermining the independence of the legal profession. Moreover, prominent human rights lawyers are subject to arbitrary prosecutions, including Cihan Aydin and Öztürk Türkdoğan.
The ICJ calls on this Council and all its Special Procedure to pay particular attention to attacks on lawyers whose work is essential for access justice and effective remedies to protect everyone’s human rights.
I thank you.”
Contact:
Massimo Frigo, ICJ UN Representative, e: massimo.frigo(a)icj.org, t: +41797499949
May 23, 2022 | News
As Right Livelihood, Réseau International des Droits de L’homme (RIDH), Center for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR), International Commission of Jurists and WOLA have come together to condemn the re-appointment of María Consuelo Porras as Attorney General of Guatemala, the group has released a joint statement on the matter.
May 11, 2022 | News
The Sri Lankan government must immediately revoke emergency regulations that give security forces extensive powers of search, detention, prosecution and punishment, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) said today.
