There are strong indications that the proceedings against Evgeniy Zhovtis failed to meet international fair trial standards, the ICJ said today, as it published the final report of a trial observation of the appeal hearing.
The ICJ today deplored the decision of the US Justice Department to clear the legal architects of the US torture policy from any professional misconduct.
The decision by Associate Deputy Attorney General (ADAG) David Margolis reversed the July 2009 findings of the Office of Professional Conduct (OPR) that Bush administration legal advisers John Yoo and Jay Bybee had engaged in professional misconduct by giving advice which approved as lawful the program of “enhanced interrogation”. This program consisted in clear acts of torture and ill treatment.
The OPR had been poised to refer Yoo and Bybee, who is presently a US federal judge, for disciplinary action by the state regulatory authorities. The ADAG report, while affirming that the legal advisers had exercised ‘poor judgement’, determined that they had not breached rules of misconduct because it could not be established that they had intended to give misleading advise.
USA-torture serious crime-press release-2010 (full text, PDF)
Photo by acameronhuff
International and local human rights organizations have today urged the Nepali authorities to stop obstructing criminal proceedings over the alleged torture and murder of 15-year-old Maina Sunuwar by four army officers.
Nepal-Authorities must provide justice for torture and murder-press release-2010 (full text, PDF)
See also the open letter Government obstruction of justice and defiance of judicial authority
The ICJ is pleased to announce that Justice Azhar Cachalia will observe the trial in the matter of The State versus Roy L Bennett in the High Court of Zimbabwe.
Mr. Bennett is charged with the possession of weapons with the intention to commit sabotage, terrorism, banditry and insurgency. He had earlier been charged with treason but this was dropped. Initially he was charged with contravening section 25 of the Immigration Act requiring persons getting out of Zimbabwe to present themselves before an Immigration officer but this charge was thrown out by court at the initial remand proceedings.
Zimbabwe-case State v. Bennett-web story-2009 (full text in English, PDF)
The ICJ expresses its serious concern at the unlawful detention and prosecution of Mordecai Mahlangu, a prominent human rights and media lawyer from Zimbabwe.
Global experts warn of eroding judicial independence amidst the rise of authoritarianism around the world
Development of the Crimes Against Humanity Convention
ICJ Publications on the Crimes Against Humanity Convention
Preparatory Committee meetings for the negotiation of the Crimes Against Humanity Convention