Jul 13, 2017 | News
The ICJ today mourns the passing of Chinese human rights defender and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Liu Xiaobo. Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 and was described as the “foremost symbol of the struggle for human rights in China.”
He passed away today at the First Hospital of China Medical University, while still in the custody of Chinese authorities.
He has been imprisoned since 2009, after being found guilty for “subverting state power”, for calling for a new constitution in China. His wife, poet Liu Xia, remains under house arrest in Beijing.
In May 2017 authorities announced that he had been diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer.
Chinese authorities refused calls that he be allowed to travel to receive medical treatment abroad.
The ICJ honors Liu Xiaobo for his peaceful and unrelenting pursuit for human rights in China, and calls on the government to end the house arrest, and guarantee the freedom of movement, of Liu Xia.
Sam Zarifi, ICJ’s Secretary General said: “Liu Xiaobo will continue to serve as an inspiration not only for those fighting for human rights in China, but also for all human rights defenders working to promote and protect human rights all over the world.”
The ICJ believes that the death of Liu Xiaobo should serve as a wake up call to the Government of China that they cannot simply and brutally silence dissenting voices.
Liu Xiaobo’s death only serves to amplify his call for human rights and upholding the rule of law in China.
The ICJ has consistently called upon the Chinese government to end the harrassment and unlawful detention of lawyers and human rights defenders.
Jul 12, 2017 | Incidencia
El abogado Carlos Ayala, miembro del comité ejecutivo de la CIJ analiza la constitucionalidad de esta asamblea y concluye que tanto la convocatoria como las Bases Comiciales de la ANC “configuran un fraude a la Constitución y una usurpación a la soberanía popular.
El 1 de mayo de 2017 el presidente Nicolás Maduro convocó una Asamblea Nacional Constituyente (ANC) mediante el Decreto No. 2.830.
Tibisay Lucena, presidenta del Consejo Nacional Electoral, aprobó la convocatoria e informó que el 30 de julio se realizarán los comicios para elegir a los constituyentistas.
Carlos Ayala concluye también que la ANC y la convocatoria violan los principios de la universalidad y la igualdad del sufragio”.
A continuación el texto completo:
Venezuela-ANC paper-Advocacy-Analysis brief-2017-SPA (en PDF)
Jun 16, 2017 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The International Commission of Jurists today drew to the attention of the Human Rights Council the failure of responsible States to ensure accountability for renditions and secret detention in several countries across the world.
The issue was highlighted by an oral statement in the General Debate on human rights situations that require the Council’s attention.
The ICJ statement continued as follows:
The US-administered rendition and secret detention programme of the last decade led to the commission of egregious violations of human rights and crimes under international law on a global scale with the complicity of several States, including in Europe.
Similar practices have been adopted in the Russian Federation where abductions of “terrorism” or “extremism” suspects and transfer to Central Asian States continue, in disregard of the principle of non-refoulement.
None of the States involved in the US-led renditions programme, or in abduction and transfer practices occurring in the Russian Federation, have ensured full accountability of those responsible and full redress for victims.
The ICJ calls on this Council to issue a strong call to all UN Member States to provide full accountability and redress for victims for the human rights violations that occurred during these operations.
May 17, 2017 | News
La CIJ condena enérgicamente la violenta represión de las manifestaciones por parte del Gobierno venezolano y sus cuerpos de seguridad, así como el juzgamiento de civiles por tribunales militares de ese país.
Entre el 4 de abril y el 16 de mayo de 2017, han fallecido de manera violenta más de 40 personas en el contexto de manifestaciones, por la acción de los cuerpos de seguridad del Estado venezolano y grupos armados de civiles afectos al Gobierno.
Asimismo, centenares de personas han sido detenidas arbitrariamente, muchas de las cuales han sido trasladadas a prisiones militares, instalaciones de organismos de seguridad o a cárceles de máxima seguridad.
Numerosos detenidos han denunciado golpizas, tratos crueles e inhumanos así como actos de tortura.
Igualmente, por lo menos 275 civiles están procesados por tribunales militares, acusados de delitos previstos en el Código Militar, como los de “rebelión” y “traición”.
En muchos casos, a los abogados defensores se les limita el acceso a las salas de audiencia, sólo están autorizados a hablar uno pocos minutos antes de las audiencias con sus defendidos y se les restringe el acceso al expediente penal.
La CIJ recuerda que todas estas prácticas vulneran derechos y libertades fundamentales y constituyen una violación flagrante por parte del Estado venezolano de sus obligaciones constitucionales e internacionales de garantizar y proteger los derechos humanos.
Desde hace varios años la CIJ ha venido siguiendo la situación en Venezuela y ha podido constatar el vertiginoso y sistemático deterioro de los derechos humanos y de las libertades fundamentales, la pérdida de independencia del Poder judicial y, en general, el ocaso del Estado de Derecho.
Al respecto ver los informes de la CIJ: Fortaleciendo el Estado de Derecho en Venezuela (2014) y Venezuela: el ocaso del Estado de Derecho (2015).
Apr 6, 2017
The ICJ has intervened before the European Court of Human Rights in a case of alleged abduction of a Tajik national and transfer to his country of origin where he could be at risk of torture or ill-treatment.
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) intervened in the case of K.F. v. Russia. K.F. had been subject to a procedure of extradition to Tajikistan to answer for terrorism-related offences there. The procedure was stalled by the interim measures issued by the European Court of Human Rights in the case. On the day of his release, for the expiry of the maximum term for detention, he disappeared. The family informed his lawyer that he was being held in a remand prison in Tajikistan.
In this submission, the ICJ provided the Court with an analysis, based on international law sources, of the positive obligations of States parties to the European Convention to ensure that no transfer is carried out of persons subject to interim measures enjoining such transfer by the European Court. The submission includes a comparative analysis of the law, jurisprudence and practice of other regional human rights systems. The ICJ also assessed the capacity of the Russian legal system to protect against transfers in violation of the Convention rights and, in particular, of the interim measures of the Court.
The ICJ concluded that the Russian authorities have not yet provided an effective protection programme that would ensure the respect of the interim measures of the European Court in cases of alleged abductions. Furthermore, the ICJ pointed out that the lack of any effective investigations and public condemnation of practices of abduction is detrimental to the effective implementation of the Court’s interim measures.
The ICJ submitted that this continued lack of compliance by Russian authorities with the rulings of the European Court affects the whole system of compliance with interim measures. The recurrence of this situation, therefore, requires the formulation of specific measures to enhance systemic changes in Russian law and practice.
Russianfederation-KF_v_Russia-ECtHR-amicus-ICJ-final-eng-2017 (download the third party intervention)
