May 18, 2009 | News
“Reviving Military Commissions is a setback for the rule of law. It will entrench a fundamentally flawed system with some amendments and set a terrible precedent to the rest of the world.”
“We need a clear break with the past and the laws and policies grounded in the ill-conceived concept of a ‘war on terror’,” said Wilder Tayler, Acting ICJ Secretary General.
The comment comes as the US administration announced that it would revive the suspended military commission system to try certain detainees presently held in Guantánamo Bay.
According to this information the administration will introduce amendments to the Military Commission Act (MCA) 2006 increasing legal protections, including the prohibition of evidence obtained by torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and the introduction of greater choice of legal counsel.
United States-Reinstituting military commission wrong way out-Press releases-2009 (full text, PDF)
May 15, 2009 | News
The ICJ is urging the international community to take further steps to ensure the Government of Sri Lanka addresses the dire humanitarian and human rights situation in the country.
Currently, up to 50,000 civilians are trapped within the shrinking conflict zone in the Vanni district on the north-eastern coast and 196,000 people have fled the conflict zone.
Sri Lanka-The International Community must increase pressure-Press releases-2009 (full text, PDF)
Apr 28, 2009 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ drew attention to the persistent violence and the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation mainly due to the repeated and large-scale armed conflicts in the country.
It urged the Council to call for urgent measures to establish the rule of law, curb impunity and ensure the protection of civilians and internally displaced persons and full enjoyment of human rights for the population.
DR Congo-UPR-non-legal submission-2009 (full text, PDF)
Apr 28, 2009 | News
The ICJ and other Human Rights groups are requesting the Attorney General to publicly explain his decision not to prosecute certain officers involved in an operation that killed 28 suspected insurgents five years ago.
Apr 17, 2009 | News
The ICJ today called on the United States to comply with its international legal obligation to conduct a thorough investigation and prosecute officials who authorized and engaged in the international crime of torture.
United States-No impunity for torture-Press releases-2009 (full text, PDF)
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