Jul 3, 2019 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ today joined other NGOs in drawing the attention of the UN Human Rights Council to extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances in Kashmir.
The statement, delivered by International Federation for Human Rights Leagues (FIDH) on behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Human Rights Watch, International Commission of Jurists, and World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), read as follows:
“We look forward to the publication of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ second-ever report on the grave human rights violations and abuses committed in Kashmir.
In Indian Administered Kashmir, government forces have been responsible for serious violations, including unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, torture, and rape and other sexual violence. These grave violations by security forces in Kashmir are met with chronic impunity, as alleged perpetrators are rarely properly prosecuted for human rights violations, leading to near-total immunity for the crimes committed. Non-state armed groups have also been responsible for serious abuses, including attacks against journalists.
In Pakistani Administered Kashmir, there have been reports of unlawful restrictions on freedom of expression and association, as well as the misuse of anti-terrorism legislation against protesters.
We are gravely concerned by the increasing threats faced by, and reprisals against, human rights defenders and others who have cooperated with UN human rights mechanisms in recent years, particularly in the elaboration of the OHCHR’s reports. We urge the Government of India to ensure that human rights defenders and journalists are allowed to carry out their work without threats or reprisals, and take adequate steps to protect them from non-state groups.
We also remain concerned that the Governments of India and Pakistan continue to deny access to OHCHR and other human rights mechanisms to Kashmir. We call on them to grant unconditional access to these mechanisms, as well as to human rights organizations and the media.
We also call on the Council to act on the call to establish a commission of inquiry.”
Jun 25, 2019 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
Speaking at the UN Human Rights Council in a general debate on the oral update of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the ICJ addressed issues around “foreign fighters”, criminalisation of solidarity with migrants, and the need for international investigation of violations in the Philippines.
The statement was as follows (check against delivery):
“The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) thanks the High Commissioner for her oral update.
The ICJ agrees that accountability for crimes under international law committed by foreign fighters is essential; equally, it must be ensured through fair procedures. Where children are concerned, their best interests must be the guiding principle. [To the extent foreign fighters are addressed in relation to counter-terrorism measures, ICJ emphasizes that not only is disregard for human rights in countering terrorism wrong and unlawful in itself, it is also ineffective and indeed itself conducive to terrorism.]
The ICJ is also concerned at the criminalisation of solidarity with migrants in Europe and elsewhere. No one should be penalised for supporting human rights, including those that States fail to uphold. On Thursday, together with the OHCHR and the Geneva Bar Association, ICJ will screen a documentary in Room XIV, the UN Cinema, showing the impact of criminalization of solidarity.
The ICJ supports calls by the High Commissioner and Special Procedures for urgent action by the Human Rights Council on the Philippines. Adoption of a resolution at the current session to establish an independent international investigation is essential.
The huge number of killings in the name of countering drugs is part of a broader pattern of impunity. For instance, at least 39 lawyers have also been killed under the current administration, some of whom were representing victims of human rights violations. A fully independent national commission of inquiry and measures actually to bring perpetrators to justice are also needed to end the pervasive culture of impunity.”
Jun 23, 2019 | Events, News
This side event will take place on Friday 28 June 2019, from 13:00-14:00, in Room XXI, at the Palais des Nations.
There has been an increase in serious human rights violations in Kashmir, particularly since 2016. This has coincided with shrinking space for human rights reporting and advocacy at the national level, with human rights defenders facing unprecedented threats and reprisals.
The escalating violence, coupled with systemic impunity for perpetrators, has made it imperative for the human rights situation in Kashmir to be highlighted at the international level, including at the UN.
This event aims to bring to the forefront the human rights aspect of the conflict and discuss possible strategies through which the international community can play a more effective role in ensuring the promotion and protection of human rights in the region.
Keynote Address
Hon. Judge Navanethem Pillay: Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (2008-2014)
Moderator
Sam Zarifi: ICJ Secretary General
Speakers
Juliette Rousselot: Program Officer for South Asia, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
Gerard Staberock: Secretary General, World Organization Against Torture (OMCT)
Dr. Angana Chatterji: Co-chair, Initiative on Political Conflict, Gender and People’s Rights, Center for Race and Gender, University of California, Berkeley
Kashmir-HRC-Event-2019-ENG (Flyer in PDF)
May 29, 2019
Together with hundreds of NGOs, the ICJ has urged States to redress the critical funding gap affecting UN human rights mechanisms, which is poised to cause postponement or cancellation of crucial sessions at the UN, allowing violators of human rights to avoid scutiny and accountability.
The NGOs were reacting following the revelation that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights had written to independent experts that monitor human rights on behalf of the UN (treaty bodies and special procedures), warning that delayed payments by States of their UN contributions, coupled with underlying budget cuts, would likely mean postponement, cancellation or curtailment of their activities.
This included specifically likely cancellation of the autumn 2019 sessions of six of the ten human rights treaty bodies that review States implementation of their obligations under human rights treaties, and in many cases, also consider individual complaints of violations.
Only 3.7 percent of the total UN regular budget is currently allocated to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, meaning the cuts to the budget for the mechanisms have a highly disproportionate impact on the UN’s human rights work.
The NGOs responded through an open letter to all States’ permanent missions in Geneva and New York, urging that they:
- pay their assessed financial contributions without further delay.
- prioritize securing adequate funding for the UN’s human rights work.
- reverse the trend of reduced budgets for UN human rights work and restore the budget allocations whose cuts have resulted in the current likelihood of cancellations and postponements.
The full open letter, including additional details as well as the list of signatories, can be accessed in PDF format here: UN-OpenLetter-BudgetOHCHR-2019-EN
May 13, 2019 | Human Rights Council, News, Work with the UN
The ICJ has joined with more than 35 other international and African NGOs, calling on states to address the ongoing deterioration of the human rights situation in Tanzania, at the upcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council in June.
Read the letter here.
