Sep 13, 2012 | Events
In the margins of the UN Human Rights Council 21st regular session, the ICJ held today a high-level discussion on the role of judges and lawyers in transition.
The ICJ side event discussed the role of, and challenges faced by, judges and lawyers in transition, especially as this relates to the promotion and enjoyment of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence.
Panellists included Pablo de Greiff, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Judge Stefan Techsel, Judge Ad Litem at the ICTY, and Govinda Sharma, senior advocate from Nepal.
HRC21-J&LinTransition-flyer-Event-2012 (full text in PDF)
Sep 12, 2012 | Events
The ICJ, Impunity Watch and other NGOs sponsored today a parallel event to the UN Human Rights Council on the occasion of the presentation of the first report to the Council by the new Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence.
The parallel event was held 2012 in the margins of the UN Human Rights Council’s 21st regular session. Panelists included the Special Rapporteur, Pablo de Greiff, victims’ representatives from Guatemala and Burundi, Bejamin Mateo Jeronimo and Aloys Batungwanayo, and the Executive Director of Impunity Watch, Marlies Stappers. The event was moderated by Alex Conte of the ICJ.
HRC21-Impunity-ParallelEvent-2012 (download invitation flyer, in PDF)
Sep 11, 2012 | Events
During the 21st session of the UN Human Rights Council (10-28 September 2012), the ICJ and the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights will convene a high-level discussion on ensuring human dignity during detention.
The parallel event will be held in the Palais des Nations in meeting room XXI on Tuesday 25 September 2012 from 14h to 16h.
The event will discuss the need and options for an international instrument clarifying and enhancing the human right legal framework applicable to persons in detention. Panelists include Professor Manfred Nowak, former Special Rapporteur on torture and former member of the Working Group on enforced disappearances; Judge Theodor Meron, Judge on the Appeals Chambers of the ICTY and ICTR; Professor Shaheen Sardar Ali, Vice-Chair of the Working Group on arbitrary detention; and Ian Seiderman, Law and Policy Director of the ICJ. The event will be moderated by Hina Jilani, member of the Panel on Human Dignity and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The event is open to all persons with access to the Palais des Nations.
HRC21-DetentionEvent-Flyer-2012 (download flyer)
HRC21-DetentionEvent-ConceptNote&BackgroundPaper-2012 (download concept note and background paper)
Sep 11, 2012 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ welcomes the first report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence (A/HRC/21/46).
The content of the report elaborates on the four pillars of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate and the ways in which this analysis will inform the execution of his mandate. The ICJ reiterates its support for the establishment of this important mandate, one that is crucial to combating impunity for human rights violations and guaranteeing victims’ access to justice.
In a written statement to the UN Human Rights Council, and an oral statement delivered jointly with Amnesty International on 12 September 2012, the ICJ referred to issues seen as critical to the execution of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate, and the way in which the Human Rights Council should engage with it.
ICJ-HRC21-Item3ID-SRTruthJustice-OralStatementnon-legal submission-2012 (download written statement, in PDF)
ICJ-Amnesty-HRC21-TruthJustice-OralStatement-2012 (download joint oral statement, in PDF)
Sep 11, 2012 | Advocacy, Legal submissions
During the 21st session of the UN Human Rights Council (10-28 September 2012), the ICJ made an oral statement relating to the report of the UN Secretary-General on reprisals against persons cooperating with the UN and its mechanisms.
In a general debate concerning reports of the UN Secretary-General, including his report on reprisals against human rights defenders (HRDs), the ICJ delivered an oral statement on 11 September 2012 concerning impunity for attacks against HRDs in Sudan.
The ICJ’s statement called on the Human Rights Council to urge Sudan to:
- Protect the rights of HRDs, including those cooperating with the UN;
- Initiate a prompt, thorough, and independent investigation into incidents brought to the attention of the Council;
- Hold criminally accountable those responsible and ensure access to a remedy and reparations for the victims of such attacks;
- Guarantee the safe return and reintegration in Sudan of the human rights defenders concerned; and
- Repeal all laws that describe human rights activities as spying and espionage.
Sudan-HRC21-Item2-OralStatementReprials-2012 (download statement)
