May 14, 2012 | Доклады, Доклады судебного наблюдения
Настоящий доклад представляет общую оценку предварительного следствия, слушания по делу в суде первой и кассационной инстанции в уголовном деле в Санкт-Петербурге, и предлагает некоторые рекомендации, основанные на главных выводах.
Получив информацию о возможных нарушениях принципов справедливого судопроизводства в уголовном деле в Санкт-Петербурге, МКЮ приняла решение о проведении Миссии по наблюдению за кассационным слушанием по данному делу в Городском суде Санкт-Петербурга № 1-553/10;.№ 22-2154/2011в отношении Гургена Степаняна, Вардана Саканяна, Тиграна Арутюняна. Поскольку процесс проходил в закрытом режиме, и, несмотря на запрос МКЮ, не был открыт для наблюдателей.
Тем не менее, наблюдатели МКЮ смогли встретиться с заместителем председателя суда и адвокатами в деле, а также изучить материла дела. Наблюдатели выражают свою признательность всем, кто содействовал осуществлению Миссии.
Russia-appeal hearing Saint Petersburg-trial observation report-2012-rus (полный текст на русском, PDF)
May 8, 2012 | Agendas
From 18 June to 6 July, the UN Human Rights Council will be holding its 20th regular session in Geneva. At a parallel event to the Council’s session, on Thursday 21 June 2012 from 13h-15h, the International Commission of Jurists will be holding a high-level discussion on advancing human rights and business in the work of the Human Rights Council. This event will provide delegations and civil society with a forum to explore ways for further enhancing international standards within the Human Rights Council on the issue of businesses’ human rights responsibilities. The aim is to generate vigorous discussion about the need and options for more international instruments clarifying/enhancing the human rights legal framework applicable to business corporations, in particular in the area of effective remedies.
The meeting will take the format of a moderated panel discussion, with one hour of interventions by expert panellists, and one hour of interactive debate with all participants. Expert panellists will include Professor Marco Sassoli from the University of Geneva, Professor Andrew Clapham from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, Mr Michael Addo from the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, Ms Harriet Berg from the Permanent Mission of Norway to UNOG, and Ms Rachel Groux-Nurnberg from Statkraft AS in Norway. Attendance is open to all delegations and members of civil society with access to the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
Discussion human rights business-agenda-2012 (full text in English, PDF)
May 7, 2012
The ICJ has learnt of the suspension of His Lordships Justices Philip Musonda, Judge of the Supreme Court of Zambia together with judges Charles Kajimanga and Nigel Mutuna of the High Court of Zambia with the possibility of having them removed as Judges of the Courts.
The ICJ notes that these judges are very senior judges of the bench whose integrity and dignity has not been questioned before.
The ICJ also notes that the President acting on advice given to him has appointed a Tribunal to enquire and determine the suitability of the three judges to continue sitting in the bench.
Deputy Director of the ICJ-Africa Programme, Martin Masiga said: “While the ICJ may not be opposed to legitimate expression of judicial accountability, such exercises must observe due process as required by both the international and municipal regimes of law on judicial independence and the Rule of Law. One would recommend, therefore, that the constitutional procedure be followed in Zambia.”
The ICJ believes that indeed, judges and other judicial officers as servants of the public are, like all other institutions of the State subject to the law, the Rule of Law in particular, and should exercise their judicial functions in accordance with the dictates of the law and their just conscience.
The ICJ hopes that due process and constitutional guarantees in accordance with the laws of Zambia will be followed to ensure that the process is consistent with fairness and that process is not used to undermine the independence of the Judiciary in the Republic of Zambia, as has been the case is some jurisdictions with the region.
The ICJ will, therefore, closely monitoring the situation and developments and will, if necessary, engage all stakeholders to assist in ensuring a fair, speedy and satisfactory resolution of the matter.
Zambia-Mission-Publications-Reports-Mission reports-2012-ENG (ICJ Mission report in Zambia, in PDF)
May 7, 2012 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ joined another 165 NGOs in an appeal to EU institutions to respect the right to liberty of asylum seekers in the negotations of the new Common European Asylum System.
The ICJ joined other 165 international, European and national NGOs in an appeal to EU institutions to to maintain the presumption against detention in EU asylum legislation and uphold as a minimum a list of essential safeguards on the detention of asylum seekers in EU asylum legislation, on occasion of the negotiations for the revision of the Common European Asylum System.
EU-jointstatement-asylum-2012 (download the joint statement)
Photo credit: © Yanni Koutsomitis (the author of the picture has no involvement in nor does support this submission)
May 7, 2012 | E-bulletin on counter-terrorism & human rights, News
Read the 63rd 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.
