Oct 14, 2011
During its 47th session, the UN Committee against Torture will undertake an examination of the combined third and fourth periodic reports of Sri Lanka.
In preparation for this examination, and in response to Sri Lanka’s combined report, the Committee issued a list of issues to be considered during the forthcoming examination.
The ICJ has submitted a parallel report to the Committee against Torture, which includes replies to aspects of some questions in the Committee’s list of issues, and sets out concrete recommendations for Sri Lanka’s implementation of obligations under the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
The ICJ’s submission addresses issues concerning: the definition of torture; the crime of enforced disappearances; rights on arrest or detention; habeas corpus; contemporary issues at the provincial level; non-refoulement; witness protection legislation; reparation mechanisms for victims; and the prohibition on the admission as evidence of information obtained by torture.
Sri Lanka-torture-analysis brief-2011 (full text, PDF)
Oct 12, 2011
This briefing paper addresses the proposal for a Directive on the Right of Access to a Lawyer in Criminal Proceedings and the Right to Communicate Upon Arrest.
The ICJ warmly welcomes the draft Directive, as an important support for effective implementation in EU Member states of the right of access to a lawyer as recognized in international human rights law and standards.
The paper makes recommendations for strengthening the protection offered by the Directive on several points, and responds to comments of the Presidency, and of certain Member States, on the Commission’s draft.
EU directive on the right of access to a laweyer-analysis brief-2011 (full text, PDF)
Sep 16, 2011
The Thai military will no longer categorize transgender draftees as “permanently insane.” The ICJ submitted this amicus brief in the case of Samart Meecharoen v. Defense Ministerlast year.
Thailand-courtroom victory-analysis brief-2011 (full text, PDF)
May 19, 2011
The Southern African Development Community Lawyers Association (SADC LA) and the ICJ have been monitoring with keen interest the developments around the review of the SADC Tribunal.
Africa-review SADC Tribunal-analysis brief-2011 (full text, PDF)
Dec 16, 2010
The ICJ and six other NGOs made written comments on a paper on implementation of the Interlaken Declaration on the future of the European Court of Human Rights.
They include comments on the Final Report of the CDDH to the Committee of Ministers on measures that result from the Interlaken Declaration that do not require amendment of European Convention on Human Rights.
Councileurope-interlaken-advocacy-2010 (full text, PDF)
