Sep 24, 2014
The ICJ has provided a submission to the UN Human Rights Committee for its consideration during the examination of the Second and Third Periodic Reports of Malta under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
During its 112th session, from 7 to 31 October 2014, the Committee will examine Malta’s implementation of the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
In this submission, the ICJ expresses concern that the State party has violated its obligations under the Covenant in relation to the continued criminalization of abortion and its interference with the enjoyment of Covenant rights in connection with sexual orientation and gender identity. Further, the ICJ raises questions about the continuing necessity of Malta’s reservations to the Covenant.
Malta-CCPR-Advocacy-LegalSubmission-2014-ENG(rev)
Sep 12, 2014
The ICJ has submitted information to the UN Human Rights Committee in advance of its examination of Sri Lanka’s fifth periodic report under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
Sep 3, 2014
The ICJ has submitted information to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in preparation for the Committee’s examination of the fourth periodic report of the Netherlands under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
During its pre-sessional working group meeting in September 2014, the Committee will adopt a ‘List of Issues’ for the examination in May-June 2015 of the fourth periodic report of the Netherlands under the CRC. To assist the Committee in preparation of its List of Issues, the ICJ’s submission raises issues concerning:
- Financing of development projects abroad by Butch financial institutions; and
- The existing legal framework in the Netherlands pertaining to the responsibility of Dutch parent companies for the impairment of the enjoyment of children’s rights as a consequence of the conduct of subsidiaries operating abroad.
Netherlands-CRC-PSWG69-LOI-LegalSubmission-2014
Aug 30, 2014
Today, the ICJ, together with Amnesty International, Friends World Committee for Consultation (Quakers), the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, and War Resisters’ International, submitted an Amicus Curiae opinion to the Constitutional Court of Korea (Republic of Korea).
The interveners submit, among other things, that compulsion to engage in military service contrary to an individual’s conscience or religion or belief constitutes a violation of international human rights law and standards.
Korea-Amicus Opinion-Advocacy-legal submission-2014 (full text in pdf)
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
