This letter is alerting the Special Rapporteur on threats to Malawian human rights defenders.
Malawi-attention rapporteur defender-open letter-2010 (full text in English, PDF)
Read the 39th 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.
The ICJ and the other members of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA) jury are concerned over the arrest of Iranian human rights defender Emadeddin Baghi, who received the MEA in 2009.
They seek clarification of the reason of his arrest and the charges he faces. Emadeddin Baghi is arbitrarily detained for his human rights-related activities, in violation of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, as he is imprisoned for the peaceful exercise of his rights to freedoms of expression and association.
Iran-arbitrary detention Baghi-Open Letters-2010 (full text, pdf)
El sistema judicial tiene varias falencias que hacen que muchos mecanismos a prevenir o hacer cesar los abusos de derechos constitucionales por parte de empresas sean poco efectivos.
El acceso a la justicia y a un recurso efectivo ha devenido un elemento crucial en el trabajo de protección de los derechos humanos en el contexto de actividades empresariales, asi como un area de importancia primordial para jueces y abogados dedicados a promover el estado de derecho y los derechos humanos.
El informe señala que a pesar de que la normatividad colombiana contiene una amplia gama de acciones y recursos encaminados a prevenir o hacer cesar los abusos de derechos constitucionales por parte de empresas, el sistema judicial tiene varias falencias que hacen que muchos de estos mecanismos sean poco efectivos.
La mayoría de los obstáculos identificados tienen origen en condiciones estructurales de la administración de justicia colombiana que se agudizan en los casos en los que las empresas hacen parte de los reclamos y litigios.
Areas de atención especial incluyen: proyectos y mega-proyectos de explotación y/o desarrollo económico que afectan comunidades indígenas y campesinas, y áreas en las que defensores de derechos humanos se encuentran desprotegidos frente a estratégias hostiles de parte de ciertas empresas y actores armados.
Colombia-access to justice corporations-thematic report-2010-spa (full text, PDF)
This study assesses the extent to which Polish law provides victims of human rights abuses involving corporate entities with remedies.
Access to legal remedies and justice has become a crucial element in today’s work of protecting human rights in the context of business activities. It is also an area of primary importance for judges and lawyers who work promoting the rule of law and human rights. This study assesses the extent to which Polish law provides victims of human rights abuses involving corporate entities with remedies. Criminal prosecution and civil remedies are important legal tools that can be used to redress human rights violations committed by companies. At the same time, there are numerous legal and practical obstacles, which can render the process of pursuing justice difficult and/or ineffective. Disputes between individuals and/or groups and corporations share common barriers regarding access to justice. The realisation of the procedural principle of “equality of arms” is one such example: the frequent disparity of arms is aggravated when the victim (claimant) lacks high-quality legal advice and has limited resources, both in regards to time and money, whilst the defendant is a powerful corporate entity.
Poland-Publications-HR Abuses involving corporations-Access to Justice-2010-ENG (full text in PDF)
Nepal: Balen Government Should Bring Human Rights Reforms
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