Oct 14, 2011
In this submission, the ICJ highlights several issues which it considers should be of particular concern to the Committee in its consideration of the periodic reports of Greece.
During its 47th session on 31 October to 25 November 2011, the UN Committee against Torture will undertake an examination of the combined fifth and sixth periodic reports of Greece. The ICJ has submitted a parallel report to the Committee against Torture, which focusses on the failure of the Greek asylum system, in practice, to comply with the obligations of non-refoulement (as this applies to article 3 of the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment); and at the prevalence of conditions of detention for migrants, as well as living conditions for migrants, that amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in violation of obligations to prevent such treatment under articles 2, 11 and 16 of the Convention.
Mar 17, 2011 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
Since 1963, under the framework of a State of Emergency, serious and widespread human rights violations have been committed in Syria, including torture and other ill-treatment, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary arrests and detentions.
Suspected political opponents, human rights lawyers and other defenders have been regularly and arbitrarily detained, ill-treated and, in many cases, held without charge or trial for several years. Others have been convicted and sentenced, under the emergency law and other restrictive dispositions of the Syrian Penal Code (in particular Articles 267,273, 285, 286, 287, 288, and 307),to lengthy prison terms after grossly unfair trials before military courts, the Supreme State Security Court (SSSC), or civilian courts.
In spite of the persistent and consistent reports of these human rights violations, Syrian authorities have failed to investigate them promptly and independently, and to bring to justice State officials and laws enforcement officers allegedly responsible for these violations. They have enjoyed effective impunity.
Syria-UPR submission ICJ-non-legal submission-2011 (full text, PDF)
Feb 25, 2011 | News
The ICJ welcomes the adoption today by the UN Human Rights Council of one of the strongest resolutions in the short history of the five-year old Council.
During a special session on the situation of human rights in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, the ICJ had called on the Human Rights Council to take the strongest possible action in response to the gross and systematic human rights violations being committed in Libya.
Libya-HRC-humanrightsviolations-news-2011 (full text, PDF)
Feb 17, 2011 | News
The ICJ and other Human Rights groups call on Governments, NGOs and others to identify eligible candidates for the upcoming vacancy for the Special Rapporteur on countering terrorism.
special rapporteur-humanrights-web story-2011 (full text, PDF)
Feb 7, 2011 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
With the strong risk that escalating repression, violence and instability in Egypt could lead to an unprecedented deterioration in the human rights situation, it is critical that the international community take up this issue.
On 3 February 2011, the ICJ joined a call by NGOs urging the UN Human Rights Council to urgently convene a Special Session on the “human rights situation in the Arab Republic of Egypt.” The Human Rights Council should use the Special Session to foster concrete measures to prevent further violations of international human rights and protect those already suffering from such violations.
Egypt-humanrightsviolations-HRC-advocacy-2011 (full text, PDF)
