Nov 27, 2017 | News
Today, the ICJ called on the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) to end the escalating repression of civil society in Cambodia and reverse the rapidly deteriorating rule of law and human rights crisis in the country.
Yesterday, it was reported that Prime Minister Hun Sen called for the shut down of one of Cambodia’s leading, independent NGOs, Cambodian Centre for Human Rights (CCHR), and directed the Ministry of Interior to investigate CCHR for its alleged engagement with “foreigners”.
The Prime Minister’s statement appeared to allude to alleged involvement of CCHR in a supposed foreign-backed “colour revolution” to overthrow the government.
“The Cambodian Center for Human Rights plays an essential, independent role in promoting and protecting human rights in Cambodia and must be able to continue its important work without fear of retaliation, reprisal or other unjustified interference,” said Kingsley Abbott, the ICJ’s Senior International Legal Adviser for Southeast Asia.
“Everyone has the right to form and participate in organizations established to work on human rights, and States have a corresponding duty to protect the ability of such organizations and their participants to carry out their work to promote and defend human rights,” he added.
This latest development comes amidst a severe clampdown by the RGC on perceived dissenting voices including civil society, activists, the independent media and political opposition including through the recent dissolution of the major opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), in what appeared to be a highly politicized Supreme Court proceeding, and the arrest and detention of its leader, Kem Sokha.
“This new, targeted focus on the Cambodian Center for Human Rights by the Government should make it clear that the human rights and rule of law crisis gripping Cambodia is not showing any signs of abating and requires the urgent attention of the international community,” said Abbott.
“All legal, political and economic options should be on the table,” he added.
Contact
Kingsley Abbott, Senior International Legal Adviser, ICJ Asia Pacific Regional Office, t: +66 94 470 1345, e: kingsley.abbott(a)icj.org
Background
CCHR was founded by Kem Sokha in 2002 before he left the organization in 2007 to pursue a career in politics.
Yesterday, CCHR released a statement “reaffirming its absolute non-partisanship and independence from all political parties” and emphasizing “strict independence” as a core value of its organization. CCHR also asserted in its statement that an “independent and impartial investigation would find no wrongdoing whatsoever on the part of the organization” and called for “meaningful dialogue” with the RGC.
Articles 19 and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Cambodia is a State Party, guarantees the rights of all persons to freedom of expression and opinion and to freedom of association with others.
The UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by a consensus of States at the UN General Assembly, including Cambodia, affirms the right of everyone to form and participate in NGOs to promote and protect human rights. The Declaration further dictates that states should take all necessary measures to protect human rights defenders from retaliation and other forms of arbitrary action as a consequence of their legitimate work.
On 18 October 2017, the ICJ released a report which found that the RGC was increasingly “weaponizing” the law to restrict dissent and attack democracy. The report recorded that the “single largest problem facing the Cambodian justice system is the lack of independent and impartial judges and prosecutors,” which includes “an endemic system of political interference in high-profile cases and an equally entrenched system of corruption in all others”.
On 23 October 2017, the 26th anniversary of the 1991 Paris Peace Conference on Cambodia, the ICJ, together with 54 other organizations, issued an open letter to the United Nations Secretary-General and the Conference’s co-chairs calling for the reconvening of the members of the Conference and other concerned stakeholders for an emergency summit to address the human rights crisis in the country.
Nov 24, 2017 | News
As Zimbabwe prepares to swear in Emmerson Mnangagwa following the resignation of long time Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, the ICJ today called on the incoming authorities to immediately act to restore the rule of law and ensure the full observance of human rights in the country.
“As the events of the past few days propel Zimbabwe away from decades of authoritarian rule replete with human rights violations, the incoming administration must side with the people of Zimbabwe and seize this unique opportunity to ground its governance in the rule of law,” said Arnold Tsunga, Director of ICJ’s African Regional Programme.
The ICJ indicated that it is particularly concerned at the intrusion of armed forces in the political process and governance, which is prohibited by the Zimbabwean Constitution and contravenes core rule of law principles concerning the respective functions of the military and civilian authorities.
Emphasizing that the rule of law and respect for the national Constitution remain paramount even as Zimbabweans decide on their future, the ICJ called on the Zimbabwean National Army (ZNA) to refrain from any further activity that intrudes into functions of governances that are within the proper purview of civilian authorities.
“It amounts to setting a dangerous precedent for Zimbabwe and the region to allow or excuse such incursions at the whim of armed forces,” Tsunga added.
Under the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance adopted by African Union Member States, Zimbabwe is required to “institutionalize constitutional civilian control over the armed and security forces to ensure the consolidation of democracy and constitutional order”.
The ICJ further expressed concern at emerging reports of usurpation of police duties by the ZNA, which has allegedly carried out a series of arbitrary arrests and detention of civilians.
“Due process guarantees and fair trial rights are particularly vulnerable when armed forces decide to assume police functions,” Tsunga said.
Recalling that international law does not allow or encourage impunity for serious human rights violations that constitute crimes, such as torture and extra-judicial killings, the ICJ stressed the importance of ensuring accountability for human rights violations as Zimbabwe transits to into a new era of governance.
Contact:
Arnold Tsunga, ICJ-Director Africa Regional Programme, t: +27716405926, or +254 746 608 859 ; e: arnold.tsunga(a)icj.org
Solomon Ebobrah, Senior Legal Advisor, ICJ Africa Regional Programme, t: +234 8034927549 ; e: Solomon.ebobrah(a)icj.org
Oct 5, 2017 | News
The ICJ calls for Venezuela to accept long-standing requests for country visits by UN Special Procedures whose mandates are most relevant to the rule of law and human rights crisis in the country.
The ICJ takes note of the announcement by the Venezuelan Government that it is inviting the UN Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, Mr. Alfred de Zayas, to visit the country.
This announcement, together with a recent invitation to the Special Rapporteur on the right to development is significant. For more than a decade, the Venezuelan Government has denied or left unanswered requests for visits to the country by numerous other of the independent experts (known as “Special Procedures”) of the United Nations. The last mission to Venezuela by a special procedure was the Special Rapporteur on Torture in 1996.
However, the breakdown of the rule of law and the extremely serious human rights situation in Venezuela make visits by other United Nations Special Procedures of urgent relevance.
“In the course of this year, extrajudicial and arbitrary executions, torture and ill-treatment of detainees, arbitrary detention, trial of civilians by military tribunals, and persecutions and attacks against opponents, dissidents and human rights defenders have become systematic and generalized practices in Venezuela, said Federico Andreu Guzman, ICJ South America Representative.
“It is therefore difficult to see why the Government of Venezuela would not respond to long-standing requests from Special Procedure mandates relevant to these violations in favour of proactively inviting other UN experts”, Andreu Guzman added.
The ICJ therefore calls on the Government of Venezuela to invite to visit the country the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Special Rapporteurs on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; the independence of judges and lawyers; torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association; the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; and on the situation of human rights defenders. All of these UN experts have long-standing requests to visit Venezuela, some for many years, which the Venezuelan Government has failed so far to accept.
“Under the Charter of the United Nations, Member States have the obligation to cooperate with the UN Special Procedures on human rights. This duty is of particular importance when the State is a member of the Human Rights Council, as is the case with Venezuela”, said Andreu Guzman.
The ICJ also calls on the Government of Venezuela to accept the request for a visit to the country that, since 2004, has been repeatedly issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
Background
For several years, the following Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council have made requests to visit Venezuela: the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association; the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences; the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment; the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises; the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living; and the Special Rapporteur on the right to food.
At the regional level, although it denounced the American Convention on Human Rights in September 2012, Venezuela is still a State party to three Inter-American human rights treaties (Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture; Inter-American Convention on Forced Disappearance of Persons; and Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women). However, Venezuela has systematically ignored recommendations of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and has also denied IACHR requests to visit the country, made since 2004.
Contacts
Federico Andreu-Guzmán, ICJ South America Representative, tel: +57 311 481 8094; email: federico.andreu(a)icj.org
Carlos Ayala Corao, ICJ Commissioner (Venezuela), tel: +57 414 243 4872; email: cayala(a)cjlegal.net
Alex Conte, ICJ Global Redress and Accountability Initiative, tel: +22 979 3802; email: alex.conte(a)icj.org
Oct 5, 2017 | Comunicados de prensa
La CIJ hace un llamado a Venezuela a que acepte las solicitudes de visitas al país que han formulado, desde hace varios años, los Procedimientos especiales de las Naciones Unidas, cuyos mandatos son más relevantes para el Estado de Derecho y la crisis de derechos humanos.
La CIJ toma nota del anuncio del Gobierno de Venezuela de invitar al país al Experto independiente sobre la promoción de un orden internacional democrático y equitativo de las Naciones Unidas, Sr. Alfred de Zayas.
Este anuncio, así como él de invitar al país al Relator Especial sobre el derecho al desarrollo, resulta significativo. Por más de una década, el Gobierno venezolano ha denegado o dejado sin respuesta las solicitudes de visita al país de numerosos Expertos de las Naciones Unidas (conocidos como “Procedimientos especiales”). La última misión realizada a Venezuela por un Procedimiento especial, fue la del Relator Especial sobre la Tortura en 1996.
Sin embargo, dada la ruptura del Estado de Derecho y la gravísima situación de derechos humanos en Venezuela, se requiere urgentemente que otros Procedimientos especiales de Naciones Unidas, con un mandato relevante, realicen misiones en el país.
“En el curso de este año las ejecuciones extrajudiciales y arbitrarias, la tortura y malos tratos a detenidos, la detención arbitraria, el juzgamiento de civiles por tribunales militares y las persecuciones y ataques contra opositores, disidentes y defensores de derechos humanos se han convertido en prácticas sistemáticas y generalizadas en Venezuela”, declaró Federico Andreu-Guzmán, Representante para Suramérica de la CIJ.
“Por lo tanto, es difícil entender por qué el Gobierno de Venezuela no responde a las solicitudes formuladas desde larga data por los Procedimientos especiales con mandatos sobre estas violaciones, mientras invita de forma proactiva a otros Expertos de las Naciones Unidas”, agregó Andreu-Guzmán.
La CIJ hace, por lo tanto, un llamado al Gobierno de Venezuela a que invite a visitar el país al Grupo de Trabajo sobre la Detención Arbitraria y a los Relatores Especiales sobre ejecuciones extrajudiciales, sumarias o arbitrarias; la independencia de los magistrados y abogados; la tortura y otros tratos o penas crueles, inhumanos o degradantes; los derechos a la libertad de reunión pacífica y de asociación; la promoción y protección del derecho a la libertad de opinión y de expresión; y sobre la situación de los defensores de derechos humanos. Todos estos Expertos de las Naciones Unidas han solicitado visitar Venezuela desde tiempo atrás, incluso algunos desde hace varios años, sin que el Gobierno venezolano haya aceptado estas solicitudes hasta ahora.
“Los Estados miembros de las Naciones Unidas tienen, bajo la Carta de las Naciones Unidas, la obligación de cooperar con los Procedimientos especiales de derechos humanos de esta organización. Esta obligación cobra particular importancia cuando el Estado es miembro del Consejo de Derechos Humanos, como es el caso de Venezuela”, declaró Andreu-Guzmán.
Asimismo, la CIJ hace un llamado al Gobierno de Venezuela para que acepte la solicitud de visita al país que, desde el año 2004, ha reiterativamente formulado la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos.
Información complementaria
Desde hace varios años, los siguientes Procedimientos especiales del Consejo de Derechos Humanos de las Naciones Unidas han solicitado visitar a Venezuela: el Relator Especial sobre ejecuciones extrajudiciales, sumarias o arbitrarias; el Relator Especial sobre la situación de los defensores de derechos humanos; el Grupo de Trabajo sobre la Detención Arbitraria; el Relator Especial sobre la independencia de los magistrados y abogados; la Relatora Especial sobre los derechos a la libertad de reunión pacífica y de asociación; la Relatora Especial sobre la violencia contra la mujer, sus causas y consecuencias; el Relator Especial sobre la tortura y otros tratos o penas crueles, inhumanos o degradantes; el Relator Especial sobre la promoción y protección del derecho a la libertad de opinión y de expresión; el Grupo de Trabajo sobre la cuestión de los derechos humanos y las empresas transnacionales y otras empresas; la Relatora Especial sobre una vivienda adecuada como elemento integrante del derecho a un nivel de vida adecuado; y la Relatora Especial sobre el derecho a la alimentación.
En el ámbito regional, aunque denunció la Convención Americana sobre Derechos Humanos en septiembre de 2012, Venezuela sigue siendo Estado parte de tres tratados interamericanos de derechos humanos (La Convención Interamericana para Prevenir y Sancionar la Tortura; la Convención Interamericana sobre Desaparición Forzada de Personas; y la Convención Interamericana para Prevenir, Sancionar y Erradicar la Violencia Contra la Mujer). Sin embargo, las recomendaciones de la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos han sido sistemáticamente ignoradas por el Estado venezolano, el cual además ha denegado las solicitudes de visita al país que este órgano ha formulado desde el año 2004.
Contactos
Federico Andreu-Guzmán, Representante para Suramérica de la CIJ, tel: +57 311 481 8094; correo electrónico federico.andreu@icj.org
Carlos Ayala Corao, Comisionado de la CIJ (Venezuela), tel: +57 414 243 4872; correo electrónico cayala@cjlegal.net
Alex Conte, Iniciativa Global de la CIJ sobre Reparación y Rendición de Cuentas, tel: +22 979 3802; email: alex.conte@icj.org
Sep 28, 2017 | Advocacy, Uncategorized
The ICJ today called on the UN Human Rights Committee and a group of UN Special Procedure mandates to take urgent follow up action on Venezuela in light of the grave and ever deteriorating human rights situation in the country.
In a letter to the UN Human Rights Committee, the treaty body responsible for monitoring implementation by States parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the ICJ called for urgent action by the Committee, either through its established follow-up procedure and/or through requesting a special interim report. The Committee’s follow-up procedure was referenced in the Committee’s Concluding Observations on Venezuela’s fourth periodic report under the ICCPR. Special interim reports may be requested by the Committee under Article 40(1)(b) of the ICCPR.
The ICJ also called for urgent action to be taken by the following UN Special Procedure mandates: the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of assembly and of association, the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers and the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. This group of Special Procedure mandates had on 4 August 2017 issued a joint statement on the human rights situation in Venezuela.
The ICJ’s letters draw attention to several critical areas of concern:
- The rapidly deteriorating human rights situation;
- The lack of accountability of perpetrators of human rights violations;
- The lack of effective remedies and reparation for victims of human rights violations;
- The lack of independence of the judiciary;
- The institutional crisis arising from decisions of the Supreme Court of Justice;
- The unconstitutional election of the new National Constituent Assembly;
- The dismissal of the former Attorney General;
- The recent establishment of a ‘Truth Commission’;
- The intended revision of Venezuela’s Constitution; and
- Venezuela’s failure to notify its state of emergency under the ICCPR.
ICJ-Correspondence-VenezuelaFollowUp-HRCttee-2017-09-28 (download letter to the Human Rights Committee, in PDF)
ICJ-Correspondence-VenezuelaFollowUp-SPs-2017-09-28 (download letter to the Special Procedure mandates, in PDF)
ICJ reports:
Venezuela: the Supreme Court of Justice has become an arm of an authoritarian executive
Venezuela: rule of law and impunity crisis deepens
Venezuela: dismissal of Attorney General a further blow to the rule of law and accountability
Venezuela: Human rights and Rule of Law in deep crisis
Strengthening the Rule of Law in Venezuela
