Apr 22, 2020 | Адвокаси, Неюридические заявления
По итогам консультации с участниками Регионального форума адвокатов, который прошел в Душанбе, Международная комиссия юристов (МКЮ) опубликовала рекомендации о независимости юридической профессии и роли адвокатов в системах правосудия государств Центральной Азии.
Данные рекомендации обращают внимание государственных и негосударственных субъектов в странах Центральной Азии на экстренную необходимость обеспечить – как на уровне закона, так и на практике – независимость профессиональных адвокатских объединений и индивидуальных адвокатов.
«Адвокаты играют решающую роль с точки зрения укрепления верховенства закона и защиты прав человека в судебных системах во всем мире, в том числе в странах Центральной Азии, – отметил Тимур Шакиров, старший правовой советник МКЮ. – Мы надеемся, что данные рекомендации, сделанные по итогам консультаций и основанные на международном праве и стандартах, касающихся роли юристов, будут способствовать усилению независимости адвокатов и адвокатских ассоциаций в Центральной Азии».
Помимо самих сообществ адвокатов, данные рекомендации предназначены профессиональным объединениям адвокатов, парламентам и правительствам, в особенности министерствам юстиции, которые в некоторых странах Центральной Азии все еще пользуются формальным и неформальным влиянием на национальные коллегии адвокатов, в том числе контролируют доступ к профессии и дисциплинарное производство в отношении адвокатов. «МКЮ призывает указанные институты безотлагательно принять эффективные правовые и практические меры с тем, чтобы обеспечить способность адвокатов выполнять свои профессиональные обязанности в атмосфере, свободной от любых форм ненадлежащего влияния, будь то институционального или личного, во всех странах Центральной Азии», – добавил Шакиров.
Справочная информация:
9 ноября 2018 г. МКЮ провела Региональный форум «Независимость юридической профессии и роль адвокатов в судебных системах государств Центральной Азии» в Душанбе (Таджикистан) [https://www.icj.org/tajikistan-regional-conference-on-the-role-and-protection-of-lawyers/]. Данный форум стал первым региональным мероприятием, проведенным Союзом адвокатов Таджикистана – профессиональной ассоциацией адвокатов, которая была создана в 2014 г. В форуме приняли участие представители национальных адвокатских ассоциаций Республики Казахстан, Кыргызской Республики, Республики Таджикистан и Республики Узбекистан. В организации данного мероприятия также принимал участие Центр исследования правовой политики – аналитический центр из Алматы, Казахстан, который работает над вопросами реформы юридической профессии в регионе.
Участники Форума обратили внимание на непрерывные и возобновляющиеся попытки подорвать независимость профессиональных ассоциаций адвокатов в странах Центральной Азии, в том числе случаи целенаправленного лишения статуса и преследования отдельных адвокатов за выполнение ими профессиональных обязанностей в отношении доверителей. Участники также обсудили формирующуюся практику создания специализированных органов по защите прав адвокатов под эгидой профессиональных адвокатских ассоциаций, призванных противодействовать отрицательным тенденциям в странах Центральной Азии, которые посягают на интересы юридической профессии.
полный текст в формате PDF: Central Asia-Recommendations-Advocacy-2020-RUS
Apr 22, 2020 | News
In a joint letter to EU Member States, the ICJ and other human rights NGOs have urged them to recognize the grave implications for human rights and the rule of law, of the Hungarian government’s recent emergency measures.
Ahead of the Council of the EU videoconference of EU Affairs Ministers to discuss the response to COVID-19, Amnesty International, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Human Rights Watch, the ICJ, Open Society European Policy Institute and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urged the Council to take immediate steps to protect the principles enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), and the rights enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. This is particularly needed in light of the already deteriorated state of the rule of law and human rights in Hungary, which warranted the activation, in September 2018, of the procedure laid down in Article 7.1 TEU.
The organisations urged the member states of the European Union to:
- include in the agenda of the upcoming session of the EU General Affairs Council an Article 7.1 TEU hearing on the situation in Hungary, including recent developments in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak, and address to the government of Hungary, as a matter of urgency, concrete recommendations to safeguard respect for the rule of law and human rights in the country, that the Hungarian government must implement by a set deadline;
- commit to assessing the implementation of the recommendations in a timely manner in order to reach a determination under Article 7.1 TEU and, should conditions warrant it, move forward under Article 7.2 TEU.
- ensure enhanced monitoring of the Hungarian government’s use of EU funding, including funds aimed at supporting member states during the public health crisis.
The organisations urged both the Council and the Commission to cooperate with each other, and with the European Parliament and national parliaments, to ensure a coordinated, consistent and effective response to the situation.
The full letter is available here: CSO Letter to GAC -rule of law in Hungary April 2020
Apr 22, 2020 | Advocacy, News
The ICJ based on the consultations with the participants of the Regional Forum of Lawyers held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, published recommendations on the Independence of Legal Profession and Role of Lawyers in Justice Systems of the Central Asian States.
The recommendations draw attention of State and non-State actors in the Central Asian countries to the urgency in ensuring in law and practice the independence of the lawyers’ professional associations and individual lawyers.
“Lawyers play a critical role in strengthening the rule of law and protection of human rights in the justice systems of all countries of the world, including in Central Asia,” Temur Shakirov, ICJ Senior Legal Adviser said.
“We hope that these recommendations, which are based on consultations and international law and standards on the role of lawyers, will contribute to strengthening the independence lawyers and Bar Associations in Central Asia”.
The recommendations, apart from the lawyers’ communities themselves, are addressed to national professional associations of lawyers, Parliaments, and Governments, and specifically Ministries of Justice that continue in some countries of Central Asia to exercise formal and informal influence over the national Bar Association, including by imposing control in regard to access to the profession and disciplinary proceedings.
“The ICJ calls on these institutions to adopting urgent and effective measures legal and policy measures to safeguarding lawyers’ ability to carry out their professional duties in an atmosphere free from any other improper interference, institutional or personal, in each of the countries of the Central Asian region,” Shakirov added.
Background:
On 9 November 2018, the ICJ facilitated the Regional Forum on the Independence in Justice Systems of the Central Asian States in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. This was the first regional event hosted by the Union of Lawyers of Tajikistan, a professional association of lawyers that was established in 2014. The Forum brought representatives of the National Bar Associations of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan. The event was also supported by Legal Policy Research Centre (LPRC), a think tank from Almaty, Kazakhstan, that works on the reform of legal profession in the region.
The participants of the Forum highlighted the continuing and renewed attempts to undermine the independence of the professional associations of lawyers in countries of Central Asia, including targeted disbarment and harassment of individual lawyers for fulfilment of professional duties towards their clients. The participants also discussed the emerging practice of the establishment of specialized bodies for the protection of the rights of lawyers within the professional associations of lawyers to counter negative trends in Central Asian countries, affecting the legal profession.
Recommendations, in PDF: Central Asia-Recommendations-Advocacy-2020-ENG
Apr 21, 2020 | News
The ICJ called upon the Sri Lankan authorities to respect human rights in the conduct of their investigation of the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, including ensuring that investigations into the alleged involvement of Sri Lankan lawyer, Hejaaz Hizbullah, are conducted in accordance with due process and fair trial guarantees under international law.
Specifically, the authorities must specify the charges against him, grant him full and immediate access to a lawyer, and investigate the circumstances of his arrest for potential rights violations.
Sri Lankan Lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police (CID) on April 14, 2020 pursuant to the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and has since been kept in detention. No reasons were provided at the time of the arrest. During a media briefing, a police spokesperson stated that he was arrested as a result of the evidence found against him during investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. The ICJ understands that no remand or detention orders authorising his continued detention have been served even after the lapse of 72 hours as required by Sections 7 and 9 of the PTA. Moreover, Hizbullah was only granted limited access to legal counsel on April 15 and 16, under the supervision of a CID official, who had insisted that the conversation be in Sinhala, in breach of attorney-client privilege. Legal access has been denied at least since April 16, 2020.
“No one questions the government’s need and obligation to investigate the horrendous Easter Sunday attacks, but these investigations must be conducted in a way that is consistent with international law and the Sri Lankan Constitution,” said Frederick Rawski, ICJ Asia-Pacific Director. “Not serving Hizbullah a remand order as required by law, and denying him full and confidential access to legal counsel is unacceptable and in violation of international standards on the right to liberty.”
A Habeas Corpus petition was filed by Hizbullah’s father on April 17 seeking his release from detention, and demanding that he be given access to his attorneys. According to the application, five persons posing as officials of the Ministry of Health entered his home and interrogated him, after placing him in handcuffs. They demanded access to two of his case files, recorded a statement from him and subsequently took him into custody at the Criminal Investigation Department.
“By allowing warrantless entry, search of premises and the arrest of persons, the Prevention of Terrorism Act violates basic due process guarantees under international law,” added Rawski. “This legal provision is one of many problematic provisions of the PTA. The ICJ reiterates it calls for the PTA to be repealed, and replaced with an a law that conforms with Sri Lanka’s international human rights obligations.”
According to Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, “anyone who is arrested shall be informed, at the time of arrest, of the reasons for his arrest and shall be promptly informed of any charges against him.” Article 14 entitles anyone charged of a criminal offence “to have adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence and to communicate with counsel of his own choosing”. Similar guarantees are enshrined under Article 13 of the Sri Lankan Constitution.
The UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers provide that, “Governments shall further ensure that all persons arrested or detained, with or without criminal charge, shall have prompt access to a lawyer, and in any case not later than forty-eight hours from the time of arrest or detention.”
The ICJ has consistently called for the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, which has been used to arbitrarily detain suspects for months and often years without charge or trial, facilitating torture and other abuse. The ICJ reiterated its call for the repeal and replacement of this vague and overbroad anti-terror law in line with international human rights standards and Sri Lanka’s international obligations.
Contact
Frederick Rawski, ICJ Asia-Pacific Director, t: +66 64 478 1121; e: frederick.rawski(a)icj.org
Apr 21, 2020
La Guía para Profesionales No. 14 de la CIJ, inicialmente publicada en inglés, describe los estándares internacionales que deben considerarse en las investigaciones y los enjuiciamientos que se lleven a cabo en los casos de muertes potencialmente ilícitas.
Dichas investigaciones deben cumplir los estándares internacionales del derecho internacional de los derechos humanos.
La Guía aborda los contenidos del Protocolo de Minnesota sobre la Investigación de Muertes Potencialmente Ilícitas (2016). Dicho texto fue publicado por la Oficina del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos en 2017, y ofrece orientación a los Estados para aplicar los Principios de Minnesota y el deber de investigar en virtud del derecho a la vida. La versión original del Protocolo fue realizada en 1991, y su revisión contó con la experiencia de distintas organizaciones, entre ellas, la Comisión Internacional de Juristas.
La versión en inglés de la Guía No. 14 fue publicada en septiembre de 2019 en el marco de la Iniciativa global de rendición de cuentas de la CIJ. Su versión en español se publica gracias al apoyo financiero de la Unión Europea, en desarrollo del proyecto “Promoviendo justicia para ejecuciones extrajudiciales y desapariciones forzadas en Colombia, Guatemala y Perú”.
Esta Guía se nutre de otras Guías para Profesionales de la CIJ, en especial:
Universal-PG 14 Unlawful death-Publications-Reports-Practitioners Guides series-2020-SPA (Guia N°14 en español)
