Jul 25, 2014
The ICJ today submitted to the Human Rights Committee information in preparation for the Committee’s examination of the fourth periodic report of Venezuela under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
During its session in October 2014, the Human Rights Committee will adopt a List of Issues for the examination in July 2015 of the fourth periodic report of the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela under the ICCPR. In a joint submission with the Human Rights Institute of the International Bar Association, the ICJ raised issues and suggested questions to be put to the Government of Venezuela concerning:
- Current practices for the appointment and removal of judges that undermine the independence and impartiality of the courts;
- Inadequate guarantees for lawyers that impede their ability to defend and uphold the rights of their clients; and
- Lack of safeguards for the proper discharge of prosecutorial functions that negatively affect the role of prosecutors in respecting and protecting human rights.
This submission was based on the more detailed findings in recent reports of the ICJ and the Human Rights Institute of the International Bar Association.
Venezuela-HRCtteeLOI-ICJandIBAsubmission-2014 (download submission to the Human Rights Committee, in PDF)
Go to ICJ webpage on report on key deficiencies in the Venezuelan legal system
Go to IBA webpage on need for reform of Venezuelan justice system
Jul 23, 2014
The UN Human Rights Council today decided to establish an independent, international commission of enquiry to investigate all violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in the OPT, including East Jerusalem, particularly in the occupied Gaza Strip.
The Human Rights Council’s decision, in its Resolution S-21/1, came at the conclusion of a special session of the Council on the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. The ICJ itself called on the establishment of a commission of enquiry, emphasising that certain attacks by the Israel Defense Forces and Palestinian armed groups constituted crimes under international law and that all perpetrators must be held to account.
The newly established commission of inquiry will report to the Human Rights Council at its 28th regular session in February-March 2015.
OPT-HRC-SpecialSession-OralStatement-2014 (download ICJ oral statement in PDF)
A-HRC-RES-S-21-1_en (download Human Rights Council Resolution S-21/1 in Word)
Go to webpage on ICJ’s written statement to the Human Rights Council
Jul 22, 2014
The ICJ today presented a statement to the UN Human Rights Council ahead of tomorrow’s special session on the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.
The Human Rights Council will tomorrow hold its 21st special session following a request from 16 of the Council’s members. Ahead of this session, the ICJ submitted a written statement to the Secretariat of the Human Rights Council.
OPT-HRC-SpecialSession-WrittenStatement-2014 (download written statement in Word)
Jul 1, 2014
On 30 June, the International Commission of Jurists, together with JUSTICE, Amnesty International and REDRESS, filed a third party intervention with the Court of Appeal in the case Abdul-Hakim Belhaj and Other v. Jack Straw and Others.
Jun 19, 2014
The ICJ welcomed the opportunity to contribute to a review of the Terms of Reference of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), saying some of the current TOR provisions were problematic.
In a legal memorandum, the ICJ said it hoped the AICHR will use this opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to transparency and integrity by undertaking consultations with a wide variety of stakeholders as it reviews and revises its TOR.
The memorandum contains very practical and pragmatic recommendations to strengthen the AICHR’s Terms of Reference.
“It is a given that the Terms of Reference should include strong protection competencies since these are missing in the AICHR’s mandate,” said Emerlynne Gil, the ICJ’s International legal adviser for Southeast Asia. “It is also important that the Terms of Reference include provisions that ensure the quality and independence of representatives, and establish a strong and well-resourced Secretariat to assist the AICHR in fulfilling its mandate.”
The ICJ supports the idea of a regional human rights mechanism that effectively promotes and protects human rights in a manner that is particularly adaptive to the distinctive conditions of the region, provided that it abides by principles that reinforce and do not fall below international human rights law and standards.
In this memorandum, the ICJ identifies and discusses problematic provisions in the TOR that may prevent the AICHR from fully functioning as a body tasked “to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of the peoples of the ASEAN” and makes recommendations on the amendment of these provisions.
It also discusses additional functions and institutional improvements that may be undertaken to strengthen the AICHR as a regional human rights mechanism, in line with the commitments made by ASEAN member States in Vienna in 1993 and in the ASEAN Charter.
To see the full text of the memorandum please click on the following PDF link:
Memorandum on TOR of AICHR
CONTACT:
Emerlynne Gil, ICJ International Legal Adviser for Southeast Asia, t +66 2 619 8477; email: emerlynne.gil(a)icj.org
Craig Knowles, ICJ Media Consultant, t +66 81 9077653; email: craig.knowles(a)icj.org
