Sep 11, 2013 | News
The ICJ expressed its disappointment over the continued arbitrary detention and refusal of bail of Secretary of human rights organization, Odhikar, and Supreme Court Advocate Adilur Rahman Khan.
The ICJ urged the Bangladeshi authorities to drop their opposition to Adilur Rahman Khan’s bail application.
On 9 September 2013, a Magistrates Court in Dhaka refused Adilur Rahman Khan’s bail application for the second time. He had earlier been denied bail on 11 August 2013.
“Adilur Rahman Khan is being arbitrarily detained for his lawful exercise of the right to freedom of expression and his legitimate work as a human rights defender,” said Ben Schonveld, ICJ’s South Asia Director. “What we are seeing is a Government crackdown on voices of dissent.”
Under international law, all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Under Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Bangladesh is a party, there is a presumption of pre-trial release.
A person can only be denied pre-trial release where it is reasonable and necessary in all of the circumstances to prevent absconding, interference with evidence or recidivism.
“The Government cannot show that Adilur Rahman Khan poses a flight risk,” Schonveld added. “In fact, he faces a serious threat of torture and ill-treatment during detention, as documented by Odhikar and other human rights organizations.”
The ICJ reiterates its call on Bangladesh to immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against Adilur Rahman Khan and Nasiruddin Elan, ensure Adilur Rahman Khan is treated in accordance with international law in custody, and cease its harassment of Odhikar.
Contact
Ben Schonveld, ICJ South Asia Director (Kathmandu), t: +977 14432651; email: ben.schonveld(a)icj.org
Additional information
Adilur Rahman Khan was arrested his home on 10 August 2013 without an arrest warrant.
On August 11, a Magistrate’s Court refused his bail application and remanded him for five days of custodial interrogation.
On August 12, the High Court Division of the Supreme Court stayed the remand order and directed that Adilur Rahman be sent back to jail, where he could be interrogated ‘at the gate of the jail.’
On 4 September 2013, the Detective Branch of Police filed a charge sheet against Adilur Rahman Khan and Odhikar’s Director, Nasiruddin Elan, under Section 57 of the International Communication and Technology Act 2006.
They were accused of distorting information, presenting false evidence and manipulating photographs regarding a police operation on a Hefazat-e Islam rally in May this year.
Odhikar had reported that 61 people were killed in the police crackdown on the rally. The government contested the number of casualties.
Adilur Rahman Khan and Nasiruddin Elan will be formally charged on 12 September 2013.
LATEST UPDATE: Letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed on the Continued Detention of Adilur Rahman Khan
Bangladesh- Letter Adilur Rahman Khan-Advocacy-Open letter-2013 (full text in pdf)
Sep 10, 2013
The ICJ today called for better regulation of private military and security companies (PMSCs) in national and international law.
Noting gaps identified in the regulation of PMSCs in the annual report to the UN by the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination, the ICJ encouraged the Working Group to:
- Publish national laws of the concerned countries and submit this and additional detailed information and analysis to the Open Ended Intergovernmental Working Group on a possible international regulatory framework for PMSCs, which will meet for its third session in December 2013; and
- Focus in future phases of its study on the availability, accessibility and effectiveness of accountability and redress mechanisms, including judicial mechanisms, in national laws.
The statement was made during an Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group (under Item 3 of the Human Rights Council’s agenda) during the 24th regular session of the Council (9 to 27 September 2013).
HRC24-OralStatement-WGMercenaries-LegalSubmission-2013 (download full statement by the ICJ)
A-HRC-24-45 (download the annual report of the Working Group)
Sep 10, 2013 | Доклады, Новости, Пресс-релизы, Публикации, Тематические доклады
Многие адвокаты в Центральной Азии сталкиваются с серьезными препятствиями при осуществлении своих функций, в том числе преследованиями, запугиваниями и физическими нападениями и нуждаются в значительно большей защите своей работы и независимости, говорится в новом большом докладе МКЮ, опубликованном сегодня.
Доклад «Независимость юридической профессии в Центральной Азии» оценивает проблемы в обеспечении независимости адвокатов в Центральной Азии, а также препятствия, с которыми сталкиваются адвокаты при оказании эффективной юридической помощи своим клиентам.
Он анализирует законодательство и практику, касающиеся юридической профессии, в каждой из пяти стран Центральной Азии: Казахстане, Кыргызстане, Таджикистане, Туркменистане и Узбекистане.
В докладе отмечается, что слабость юридической профессии глубоко укоренена в законе и правовой культуре стран Центральной Азии, и ассоциации адвокатов в некоторых странах полностью контролируются органами исполнительной власти, а в других – уязвимы для неправомерного влияния или вмешательства государственных органов.
В некоторых странах региона, недавние реформы юридической профессии имели регрессивный характер и способствовали дальнейшему ослаблению независимости адвокатов от исполнительной власти, что демонстрируется в докладе.
«По всей Центральной Азии, приверженные и независимые адвокаты, работающие для защиты прав своих клиентов, сталкиваются с преследованиями, запугиваниями и физическими нападениями, а также препятствиями в доступе к своим клиентам в местах лишения свободы и неравным обращением в судах, которые выносят обвинительные приговоры практически в 100 процентах рассматриваемых дел», – заявила Роушин Пиллей, директор программы МКЮ по Европе.
«С сильными, независимые институтами, регулирующими юридическую профессию профессию, и бόльшей защитой их работы и независимости, адвокаты в Центральной Азии могли бы вносить существенный вклад в укрепление верховенства закона в своих странах и реализацию защиты прав человека, гарантированных национальным и международным правом».
«Должна быть осуществлена значительная реформа и закона, и практики в целях обеспечения соответствия международным стандартам, касающимся роли адвокатов», – добавила она.
В докладе также рассматриваются механизмы вступления в юридическую профессию и лицензирования адвокатов, которые в большинстве стран Центральной Азии контролируются Министерством юстиции, а не независимыми ассоциациями адвокатов.
В нем говорится о том, что имеют место похожие проблемы дисциплинарных систем для адвокатов, которые, вопреки международному праву и стандартам, как правило, находятся под значительным государственным контролем или влиянием.
«Дисциплинарным системам стран Центральной Азии до сих пор не удалось решить давние проблемы адвокатов, в частности, некоторых адвокатов, работа которых оплачивается государством, и которые действуют не в интересах своих клиентов, а фактически под диктовку представителей обвинения или других влиятельных лиц», – сказал Тимур Шакиров, правовой советник Программы МКЮ по Европе.
«С другой стороны, вызывает озабоченность, что адвокаты, которые старательно выполняют свою роль в представлении интересов своих клиентов и защиты их прав в соответствии с признанными профессиональными стандартами, напротив, привлекаются к дисциплинарной ответственности или находятся под угрозой её применения».
В докладе содержатся рекомендации, направленные на обеспечение независимой и эффективной работы адвокатов в представлении интересов своих клиентов и защиты их прав человека .
Эти рекомендации основаны на нормах международного права и стандартах, включая Основные принципы ООН, касающиеся роли юристов, в которых утверждается обязательство правительств защищать адвокатов от угроз, препятствий, запугивания или неоправданного вмешательства при выполнении ими своих профессиональных обязанностей, а также защищать адвокатов в их праве формировать и поддерживать независимые, самостоятельные профессиональные ассоциации, представляющие их интересы, способствующие их подготовке и защищающие их высокий профессиональный уровень.
Контакты:
Роушин Пиллей, директор Региональной программы МКЮ по Европе, roisin.pillay(a)icj.org
Тимур Шакиров, правовой советник Региональной программы МКЮ по Европе, temur.shakirov(a)icj.org
Central Asia-Legal Profession Report.press release-2013-Rus (пресс-релиз, PDF)
Central Asia-Independence of the Legal Profession-Publication-2013-Rus (публикация на русском, PDF)
Фото: Алматинская Коллегия Адвокатов, Юридическая Консультация
Sep 10, 2013
Many lawyers in Central Asia face serious obstacles in carrying out their functions, including harassment, intimidation and physical attacks and are in need of much greater protection for their work and independence, an ICJ new report says.
Published today, The Independence of the Legal Profession in Central Asia assesses the challenges to the independence of lawyers in Central Asia, and the barriers lawyers in the region face in providing effective legal assistance to their clients.
The report analyses the laws and practices concerning the legal profession in each of the five Central Asian states, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
It finds that the weakness of the legal profession is deeply entrenched in the law and legal culture of Central Asian states, and that lawyers’ associations are in certain countries wholly controlled by the executive, and in others are vulnerable to undue government influence or interference.
In some countries in the region, recent reforms of the legal profession have been retrogressive, and have further undermined lawyers’ independence from government, the report shows.
“Across Central Asia, dedicated and independent lawyers who work to protect the rights of their clients, are facing harassment, intimidation and physical attack, as well as impediments to accessing clients in detention, and unequal treatment in courts that impose convictions in nearly 100 percent of cases considered,” said Róisín Pillay, Director of the Europe Programme of the ICJ. “With stronger, independent institutions to govern the legal profession, and greater protection for their work and their independence, lawyers in Central Asia could contribute significantly to strengthening the rule of law in their countries and implementing human rights protections guaranteed under national and international law.”
“There needs to be significant reform both of the law, and of practice, to ensure compliance with international standards on the role of lawyers, ” she added.
The report also examines systems for entry to the legal profession and licensing of lawyers, which in most countries of Central Asia are controlled by the Ministry of Justice, rather than by independent associations of lawyers.
There are similar problems with the disciplinary system for lawyers, which, contrary to international law and standards, is typically subject to significant government control or influence, it says.
“The disciplinary systems of Central Asian countries have failed to address the long-standing problem of lawyers, particularly some state-funded defence lawyers, who act not in the interests of their clients, but effectively under the dictates of the prosecution or other powerful interests,” said Temur Shakirov, Legal Adviser of the Europe Programme. “On the other hand, it is a matter of concern that lawyers who diligently carry out their roles in representing their client’s interests and protecting their rights in accordance with recognized professional standards, have been threatened with or subjected to disciplinary measures.”
The report makes recommendations designed to ensure that lawyers operate independently and effectively to represent the interests of their clients and protect their human rights.
These recommendations are based on international law and standards including the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, which affirm the obligation of governments to protect lawyers against intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference in the performance of their professional functions, and protect the right of lawyers to form and maintain independent, self-governing professional associations to represent their interests, promote their training and protect their professional integrity.
CONTACTS:
Róisín Pillay, Director, ICJ Europe Programme, roisin.pillay(a)icj.org
Temur Shakirov, Legal Adviser, ICJ Europe Programme, temur.shakirov(a)icj.org
Central Asia-Legal Profession Report.press release-2013-Rus (full text in pdf)
Central Asia-Independence of the Legal Profession-Publication-2013-Eng (full text in pdf)
Central Asia-Independence of the Legal Profession-Publication-2013-Rus (full text in pdf)
Picture: Almaty Collegium of Lawyers, Legal Consultation
Sep 9, 2013
The ICJ, together with other NGOs, has issued a paper on the principles to be respected in the EU’s internal rules for its accession to the ECHR.
The AIRE centre, Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists have provided the Council Working Party on Fundamental Rights and Free Movement of Persons (FREMP) with a summary of its views on the development of the internal rules the European Union on accession to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The paper outlines the principles which must be respected, and the key issued which must be addressed, in the development of the internal rules, and stresses the importance of the rules to ensuring effective human rights protection under the EU Accession Agreement.
EuropeanUnion-AccessionECHR-Statement-2013 (Read the paper)
EUAccessionECHR-Paper-Joint-2013 (Read the 2013 joint paper on EU accession)
CoE-EUaccessionECHR-NGOsubmissions-2012 (Read the 2012 joint paper on EU accession)
CoE-EU-DraftAccessionAgreement-2013 (Read the draft accession agreement)
