International Commission of Jurists
ICJ addresses OSCE on human rights and terrorist listing and sanctions regimes

ICJ addresses OSCE on human rights and terrorist listing and sanctions regimes

Jul 1, 2014 | Events, Uncategorized

The ICJ’s Director of International Law and Protection Programmes, Alex Conte, today addressed the Human Dimension Committee of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on the subject of human rights and terrorist listing and sanctions regimes.

The ICJ’s intervention:

  • Provided an overview of the procedures for the listing and delisting of individuals or entities in the sanctions lists of the Security Council’s Al-Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee;
  • Outlined the legal challenges and implications concerning the relationship between human rights and relevant Security Council resolutions, emphasising that regional courts have held States to account for any violation of human rights, irrespective of whether this comes about as a result of implementing Security Council listing and sanctions resolutions; and
  • Identified some minimum safeguards applicable by States in their implementation of sanctions.

 

Pakistan security legislation and violations of the right to life

Pakistan security legislation and violations of the right to life

Jun 13, 2014 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions

The ICJ today delivered an oral statement  on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, expressing concerns about recent and pending legislation in Pakistan on the use of firearms and other force by law enforcement officials.

The joint statement, delivered at the UN Human Rights Council during the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur and on behalf also of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), expressed appreciation for the Special Rapporteur’s emphasis in his study on the issue, on the need for states to bring domestic laws on the use of force by law enforcement agencies, into line with international standards.

The statement noted that it was not clear whether the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance (PPO) 2013, which is currently in force, and the proposed Protection of Pakistan Bill (PPB) 2014 currently being debated in Parliament, were provided for review.

The statement explained how the PPO and PPB contain provisions that give law enforcement agencies overbroad powers to use firearms without independent accountability, in contravention of international standards. They increase the risk of use of excessive and lethal force and arbitrary deprivation of life.

The full statement may be downloaded in PDF form: Advocacy-HRC26-SREJEs-12062014.

The Report of the Special Rapporteur is available here.

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