May 25, 2017 | News
The Philippine government must ensure that human rights are protected and respected in Mindanao, in light of the yesterday’s declaration of martial law and suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, the ICJ said today.
The ICJ reminds the Philippine government that it remains responsible for upholding its international human rights legal obligations, notwithstanding the imposition of martial law.
The ICJ also calls upon the Congress and, if engaged, the Supreme Court, to exercise their oversight authority to ensure that the declaration is necessary and lawful, and that the activities conducted under martial law respect human rights.
“The suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, which is vital for protecting the right to liberty and preventing torture, ill-treatment and enforced disappearance, must be lifted immediately,” said Frederick Rawski, ICJ’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific.
Rawski added, “The provision of the Philippine Constitution providing for the possibility of suspension of the writ of habeas corpus is in contravention of international law, and denying the right to challenge the lawfulness of a detention is incompatible with recognized principles of the rule of law.”
President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law on the evening of 23 May 2017, covering the island of Mindanao, after Maute, an armed group that had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), reportedly laid siege on Marawi City. The next day, 24 May 2017, President Duterte suspended the writ of habeas corpus.
The ICJ recalls that the right to challenge the lawfulness of one’s detention through habeas corpus or similar procedures must always be available, even under states of exception like martial law.
The ICJ calls on the Philippine government to establish a clear timetable for an end to martial law, and to ensure in the interim that human rights are fully protected.
Background
Under Article VII, Section 18 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the President may declare martial law or suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in case of invasion or rebellion and only “when the public safety requires it.” However, Article VII, Section 18 of the 1987 Constitution limits a declaration of martial law to 60 days, and imposes other important limitations – including that the President of the Philippines must submit a report to Congress within 48 hours, which may then revoke the suspension or declaration.
Any citizen may petition the Supreme Court to review the sufficiency of the factual basis of the proclamation of martial law, or the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. Finally, this provision of the Constitution also provides that in the case of a suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, any arrested or detained person must be judicially charged within three days, or be released.
Contact
Emerlynne Gil, ICJ’s Senior International Legal Adviser for Southeast Asia, email: emerlynne.gil(a)icj.org tel: +66 840923575.
May 23, 2017
The ICJ signed the open letter to the President, Prime Minister and National Assembly Chair of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, calling them to release Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh unconditionally and immediately and end harassment of his family. Vietnam-Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh-Advocacy-Open letters-2017-ENG (full text in PDF)
Mar 29, 2016
As the Government and the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) finally begin the reconstruction phase of their response to the 2015 earthquake, they must ensure that the post-earthquake recovery moves forward in full accordance with the country’s human rights obligations.
Nepali authorities must ensure that post-earthquake assistance is based on needs alone and without discrimination on any status grounds, including descent (caste), gender, ethnicity or political affiliation, say the ICJ and and the Nepal Bar Association (NBA).
A preliminary report released today presents the results of a fact-finding study conducted in 2015 by the ICJ, in collaboration with the NBA, and focuses on three disaster-affected districts of Gorkha, Dolakha and Okhaldungha with the aim of assessing the humanitarian response in the earthquake’s immediate aftermath on the basis of international human rights law and standards.
In particular, the report notes that such assistance must be directed at protecting key economic and social rights, such as the rights to food, water, adequate housing, health, education and adequate standard of living.
“The ICJ and the NBA found that the political delays in operationalizing the NRA aggravated existing problems with marginalized groups and hampered the provision of necessary aid,” said Nikhil Narayan, the ICJ’s Senior Legal Advisor for South Asia and Head of Office in Nepal.
“Nepali authorities, particularly the newly launched NRA, must re-affirm their commitment to protecting the rights of those affected by the earthquake who have been suffering for nearly one year now,” he added.
The report aims to assist policy makers, particularly the recently operational NRA, and humanitarian actors by identifying the most immediate human rights concerns and providing recommendations to ensure the protection of the human rights of affected populations.
Among its main findings, the report raises concerns that:
- The Nepal Government’s undue delay in formulating a comprehensive long term policy plan for resettlement, livelihood and other assistance for those displaced has severely infringed victims’ right to adequate housing;
- The undue delay for political reasons in the establishment of a central coordinating body such as the NRA, and the failure to provide adequate guidance to local authorities in the meantime, exacerbated the other infringements of rights by stalling the relief and reconstruction process;
- The loss of documentation and the burdensome process to reacquire necessary documentation, including EVIC cards, other personal identity records and land and property ownership records, greatly impacted victims’ access to humanitarian assistance to fulfill at least the minimum essential levels of their economic and social rights and the right to recognition before the law;
- Many of the most vulnerable victims were not provided adequate information by authorities on the assistance to which they were entitled, or the process by which they could access these entitlements;
- The lack of a participatory or transparent consultative process in the design and implementation of relief programs, and a lack of awareness of available complaints mechanisms, denied many victims access to needs-appropriate relief and to redress for their grievances;
- While further in-depth field research is necessary, anecdotal information suggested that discrimination based on political affiliation, caste and gender persisted in some degree in the humanitarian relief process.
Among its key recommendations, the report observes that:
- The Government of Nepal should ensure that the NRA is provided adequate resources to fulfill its mandate promptly, independently, impartially and with full consideration for Nepal’s national and international human rights obligations;
- Nepali authorities (both the Government and the NRA) should ensure that the resettlement and reconstruction process is carried out transparently and uniformly based on need alone, in a participatory and consultative manner, and in conformity with principles of equal protection and non-discrimination;
- Nepali authorities should take special measures where necessary to ensure that women and marginalized and disadvantaged groups have equal access to assistance, including easing the procedural obstacles to obtain assistance due to lost documentation;
- Nepali authorities should ensure that an independent and impartial mechanism is available to promptly, effectively and transparently investigate complaints of discrimination, abuse of authority or corruption in both the prior phase of relief as well as the next phase of reconstruction, and that those persons found responsible are held accountable.
The NRA formally launched its operations on 16 January 2016, and is now preparing to distribute the first installment of housing reconstruction grants for displaced persons in Dolakha in coming weeks.
“Nepali authorities had a monumental challenge to respond urgently to the devastating human and physical toll caused by the April 2015 earthquake, even as they too were suffering the same trauma as the rest of the population,” said Sunil Pokharel, the NBA’s Secretary General.
“At the same time, safeguarding the human rights of victims is especially critical in times of disaster, and the State has a duty to ensure that human rights are fully integrated in post-disaster humanitarian assistance from the outset and at all phases,” he added.
Nepal-Earthquake Disaster response-Publications-Reports-2016-ENG (full report in PDF)
Mar 24, 2016 | News
The ICJ welcomes today’s adoption by the UN Human Rights Council of a resolution on human rights defenders addressing economic, social and cultural rights.Negotiation of the resolution was led by Norway, who presented the draft to the Council with co-sponsorship with a large number of states from around the world.
A series of hostile amendments tabled by the Russian Federation, China, Cuba, Egypt and Pakistan, which would have weakened the resolution, were defeated, and the resolution was ultimately adopted by a large majority.
The ICJ had earlier joined advocacy efforts to support the resolution text as presented, and welcomes the strong message the resolution as adopted sends affirming the importance of defenders’ work on economic, social and cultural rights, as well as the need for states to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of such defenders, including through a range of legislative, policy, and practical measures.
The draft resolution is available in an unofficial version here: 2016 draft resolution HRDs as orally revised.
The voting on the resolution is available here: Result of the vote HRDs
Mar 23, 2016 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
Today, the ICJ made a submission to the Human Rights Council’s Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review in advance of the Human Rights Council’s review of Uganda in October/November 2016.
In its submission, the ICJ expressed concern about the detrimental impact of the adoption and enforcement of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014; the effect of pre-existing and extant criminalization of consensual same-sex sexual conduct; and the introduction of the Prohibition of Promotion of Unnatural Sexual Practices Bill, on the respect for and the protection and realization of human rights in Uganda.
A copy of the submission can be found here:
Uganda-ICJ CESCR submission-Advocacy-non legal submission-2015-ENG (full text in PDF)
