Jul 22, 2011 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ commends the Independent Expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty. Ms. Magdalena Sepulveda Carmona (picture above) has made consistent efforts to pursue and strengthen the work on the issue of poverty and human rights that had been initiated by the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, the ICJ says.
In particular, the ICJ welcomes the progress report (HRC/15/41) prepared by the Independent Expert that entails substantial recommendations for the improvement of the Draft Guiding Principles (DGPs) on extreme poverty and human rights.
The ICJ hopes that the consultation process including the present questionnaire, and the upcoming consultation meeting organized by the OHCHR on 22 and 23 June 2011, will give the opportunity to progress towards the finalization of the DGPs and towards their eventual adoption in 2012.
ICJ contribution to the consultation on extreme poverty and human rights-non-legal submission-2011 (full text, PDF)
Jul 21, 2011
The ICJ and other human rights groups submitted a brief amicus curiae to the United States Supreme Court.
It supports the plaintiffs’ petition of a writ of certiorari in relation to the 2nd Circuit Appeals Court’s majority decision in late 2010 denying the application of international law to transnational corporations in the context of the U.S. Alien Tort Statute- ATS.
Amicus submit that a general principle of law exists that corporations can be held liable for egregious conduct that falls within the scope of the ATS. The majority’s failure to consult general principles of law warrants immediate review and remand.
United States-Supreme Court transnational corporations-legal submission-2011 (full text, PDF)
Jul 19, 2011 | News
The ICJ today expressed its concern at the move by the Italian Government to extend the maximum length of administrative detention for undocumented migrants to up to 18 months.
The measure is contained in certain provisions of the draft legislation ratifying Law Decree no. 89 of 2011, approved on 14 July by the House of Representatives and now under consideration by the Senate, which aims at implementing EU Directive 2008/115/EC (“the Return Directive”).
Italy-migrant rights-press release-2011-eng (full text in English, PDF)
Italy-migrant rights-press release-2011-ita (full text in Italian, PDF)
Jul 19, 2011
Access to justice and availability of effective legal remedies are crucial to the general protection of human rights and also in addressing violations by businesses.
They are also essential to the work of judges and lawyers who promote the rule of law and human rights. Nevertheless, access to justice is hindered by a number of obstacles unique to corporate human rights abuses.
The study of state practice in India reveals the obstacles but also the potential of the existing legal framework to ensure these rights. Scrutiny of state practices in this area will, moreover, help the international community discover new ways of addressing the challenge of corporate human rights abuse.
India-business and human rights – access to justice publication-2011 (full text in English, PDF)
Jul 13, 2011 | Events
The ICJ and other human rights group are organizing an interaction program titled “Impunity and the Non-Implementation of Judicial Rulings” to be held on the 13th annual International Justice Day.
The non-implementation of judicial decisions has been a major obstacle to the effective delivery of justice for victims of human rights violations, and has contributed to the current state of impunity in Nepal. The objective of the program is to bring together members of the judiciary, legislators, human rights defenders, prosecutorial authorities and other senior stakeholders to develop strategies to increase the effective execution of judicial decisions.
Mr. Khilraj Regmi, Right Honorable Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, will be the chief guest, and Dr. Yubraj Sangroula, Attorney General of Nepal, will be the keynote speaker of the program, jointly organized by the ICJ, the Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC), Judicial Officers’ Society (JOS) and Human Rights and Democratic Forum (FOHRID).
