Jan 13, 2009 | Advocacy, Open letters
The ICJ condemned Israel’s military attacks in Gaza that have been indiscriminate or disproportionate.
The ICJ called for an immediate end to the Israeli military operations that came in response to indiscriminate Hamas’s rocket attacks on civilian targets in southern Israel. It also called on Hamas to unconditionally stop these attacks that violate the principle of distinction.
While supporting an immediate, durable and fully respected cease-fire, the ICJ urged the Human Rights Council to establish a Commission of Inquiry to conduct a fact-finding investigation on violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law by all parties.
Israel-ICJ Intervention on Serious Violations of Human Rights & Humanitarian Law-non-legal submission-2009 (full text, PDF)
Jan 7, 2009 | News
The ICJ today called for an immediate end to the 12-day Israeli Military operations in Gaza that have claimed lives of more than 660 and wounded some 3.000 Palestinians.
Nine Israelis have also been killed during these operations. Many of the victims have been civilians.
“Palestinian civilians continue to pay the heaviest toll in operations that appear replete with violations of international humanitarian law”,” said the ICJ. “Many attacks have been indiscriminate or disproportionate, and Israel has failed in its legal obligation to take constant care to spare civilians and civilian objects from attack.
Palestine-Israeli military operations in Gaza must stop; civilians must be protected-Press releases-2009 (full text, PDF)
Jan 7, 2009
The ICJ provides its views to the Human Rights Committee, in advance of the preparation of the list of issues for the Periodic Report of the Russian Federation.
This submission focuses on violations of human rights in the context of counter-terrorism and counter-extremism laws and practices, and on erosion of the independence of judges and lawyers. In particular, the ICJ wishes to highlight the lack of independent and effective investigations, and impunity, for gross violations of human rights in counter-terrorism operations in Chechnya and the North Caucuses; increasing harassment of lawyers; harassment and restrictions on the rights of human rights defenders; and extradition and other transfers of suspects to countries within the Shanghi Co-operation Organisation, in violation of the duty of non-refoulement to face a danger of torture or other serious violation of human rights.
Russian Federation-ICJ submission to Human Rights Committee-legal submission-2009 (full text, PDF)
Dec 10, 2008 | News
The declaration has become a beacon for the development of international law, the institution of universal human rights mechanisms and procedures and a primary instrument for those who struggle for dignity.
Nevertheless, the promise of the Universal Declaration has yet to be fully realised.
“Despite the burgeoning of a culture of human rights in parts of the world, major objectives of the Universal Declaration remain unfulfilled, as the efforts to implement human rights have left many men and women behind”, said Lukas Machon, ICJ Representative to the UN.
UN-Universal declaration of human rights at its 60th anniversary-news-2008 (full text, PDF)
Dec 6, 2008 | E-bulletin on counter-terrorism & human rights, News
Read the 29th issue of ICJ’s monthly newsletter on proposed and actual changes in counter-terrorism laws, policies and practices and their impact on human rights at the national, regional and international levels.
