On 18 July 2023, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the Extra-Territorial Obligation Watch Coalition (ETO Watch Coalition) filed a joint submission to the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) ahead of its review of China’s human rights record in early 2024.
“The evaluation of Thailand’s Eastern Special Development Zone Act B.E. 2561 (2018) (‘EEC Act’) in 2024 must be carried out with meaningful participation from all stakeholders, and ensure compliance with Thailand’s international human rights obligations,” concluded participants at a dialogue hosted by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Land Watch Thai, EEC Watch, and ENLAW Thai Foundation on 8 June 2023 in Bangkok.
The International Commission of Jurists is calling on States participating in negotiations underway in Slovenia on a multilateral cooperation treaty (MLAT) aimed at bringing to justice those responsible for the most serious crimes under international law, to oppose efforts by a small group of States, led by the United Kingdom and France, to insert provisions that would fatally undermine the effectiveness of the treaty.
On 10 March 2023, the ICJ submitted preliminary comments and recommendations to the Ministry of Justice of Vietnam, indicating that there has been a lack of inclusive participation in developing the National Action Plan on Policy and Law Improvement to Promote Responsible Business Practices in Vietnam (2023-2027) (‘draft NAP’). In addition, the plan has failed to fully incorporate the existing international human rights law framework, selling short individuals and communities adversely affected by the conduct of business activities.
The following ICJ statement was delivered at the start of the 8th session of the Intergovernmental Working Group in charge of elaborating a new Legally Binding Instrument on business and human rights