The ICJ calls on the government of Nepal to arrest army officer accused of enforced disappearance, torture and killing

The ICJ calls on the government of Nepal to arrest army officer accused of enforced disappearance, torture and killing

The ICJ today urged the Government of Nepal to demonstrate its commitment to end impunity by arresting Major Niranjan Basnet upon his return from a UN peacekeeping mission in Chad.

Major Basnet is one of four Nepal Army officials accused in the enforced disappearance, torture and killing of Maina Sunuwar on 17 February 2004. Maina Sunuwar’s body was exhumed in March 2007 from its clandestine burial site at the Nepal Army Birendra Peace Operations Training Centre in Panchkhal.

Nepal-army officer-press release-2010-eng (full text, pdf)

Nepal-army officer-press release-2010-nep (full text, pdf)

Justice Azhar Cachalia to observe the trial in the case of The State versus Roy Lesley Bennett in Zimbabwe

Justice Azhar Cachalia to observe the trial in the case of The State versus Roy Lesley Bennett in Zimbabwe

The ICJ is pleased to announce that Justice Azhar Cachalia will observe the trial in the matter of The State versus Roy L Bennett in the High Court of Zimbabwe.

Mr. Bennett is charged with the possession of weapons with the intention to commit sabotage, terrorism, banditry and insurgency.  He had earlier been charged with treason but this was dropped. Initially he was charged with contravening section 25 of the Immigration Act requiring persons getting out of Zimbabwe to present themselves before an Immigration officer but this charge was thrown out by court at the initial remand proceedings.

Zimbabwe-case State v. Bennett-web story-2009 (full text in English, PDF)

Zimbabwe: Mission by UN Special Rapporteur on Torture blocked

Zimbabwe: Mission by UN Special Rapporteur on Torture blocked

The Coalition of International NGOs against Torture (CINAT) strongly condemns Zimbabwe’s refusal to receive an officially planned fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe by the United Nations (UN). 

The visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Mr. Manfred Nowak, was postponed at the last minute by Zimbabwe’s Foreign Ministry while he was on transit to the country.

 

Zimbabwe-blockmission-news-2009 (full text, PDF)

 

ICJ questions fairness of appeal hearing in case of human rights defender Evgeniy Zhovtis

ICJ questions fairness of appeal hearing in case of human rights defender Evgeniy Zhovtis

The ICJ today expressed its concern at deficiencies in the appeal process in which the conviction of the prominent Kazakh human rights defender Evgeniy Zhovtis was upheld this week.

ICJ Commissioner Karinna Moskalenko observed the appeal hearing on 20 October, on behalf of the ICJ, to assess its compliance with international fair trial standards.

Kazakhastan-ICJ questions fairness of appeal hearing-press release-2009-eng (full text, PDF)

Kazakhastan-ICJ questions fairness of appeal hearing-press release-2009-rus (full text, PDF)

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