Apr 1, 2010
The Legal Opinion addresses the international obligation on Bangladesh to ensure that no one within its jurisdiction be subject to torture,cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
The opinion is provided for use by the petitioners in the matter before the Supreme Court of Bangladesh (High Court Division) concerning the imposition in Bangladesh, by order of traditional village tribunals, of extra-legal penalties amounting to beating and whipping.
Bangladesh-infliction of extra-legal penalties involving corporal punishment-legal submission-2010 (full text, PDF)
Feb 25, 2010
The ICJ, and Amnesty International submitted comments on the first draft of the Council of Europe Guidelines on Impunity.
Nov 12, 2009
The IACtHR issued its seminal decision in Gonzalez et al v. Mexico: the State has failed to discharge its international obligation to exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and prosecute disappearances and deaths of several women in Ciudad Juarez.
The ICJ submitted an Amicus brief.
Mexico-Amicus IACtHR Campo Algodonero-legal submission-2009
For a copy of the Court judgment click here
Oct 16, 2009
The ICJ has submitted a shadow report to the Committee against Torture for its consideration of the Periodic Report of Spain.
In the submission, the ICJ dealt with the law and procedure regarding incommunicado detention, and the limited safeguards the law provides for detainees. The ICJ also highlighted concerns regarding the credible allegations of Spain’s involvement in the CIA-run programme of renditions. Finally, the ICJ addressed a problem with Spain’s definition of the offence of torture and the recent attempts to limit the scope of Spanish universal jurisdiction to prosecute and try crimes under international law, including torture.
Spain-Consideration of the 5th Periodic Report-legal submission-2009 (full text, PDF)
Sep 14, 2009
The ICJ provided its views to the Human Rights Committee for the consideration of the 3rd Periodic Report of Switzerland.
In this submission, the ICJ highlights several issues which it considers should be of particular concern to the Committee in its consideration of the Swiss report. In particular, the ICJ is concerned at certain provisions of the Swiss legislation on asylum-seekers and migrants that affect adversely the principle of non-refoulement, their right to a fair expulsion procedure (Article 13 ICCPR) and their right not to be detained arbitrarily (Article 9 ICCPR).
Switzerland-ICJ Submission to the HRC-non-legal Submissions-2009 (full text, PDF)