Attacks on Justice 2005: Sierra Leone
After the end of a devastating civil war which began in 1991, the task of rebuilding an effective judiciary in Sierra Leone started with a focus on its geographic extension.
Attacks on Justice 2005: Colombia
The independence of the judiciary in Colombia is seriously compromised, particularly within the Attorney General’s Office, where prosecutors are being pressured to comply with the policies of the government.
In addition, lawyers – especially human rights lawyers and defenders – are subjected to harassment, threats and persecution by the government, guerrilla and paramilitary groups, preventing them from discharging their professional duties in an independent manner.
The government has submitted several controversial proposals to Congress concerning reforms to the judiciary that undermine the role of the Constitutional Court (Corte Constitucional) and the Higher Judicial Council (Consejo Superior de la Judicatura) and could lead to the creation of a judiciary that is heavily accountable to the executive (Poder Ejecutivo).
The constant efforts of the government to push through radical legal and constitutional reforms not only undermine the independence of the judiciary but also create legal chaos.
Colombia-Attacks on Justice 2005-Publications-2008 (full text, PDF)
Presentations on international human rights law’s prohibitions on sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination
The ICJ emphasizes that nations undergoing constitutional reform processes have a unique opportunity to develop protections against sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination.
These protections are solidly grounded in international human rights law. The universality and indivisibility of this body of law is reflected in the newly-developed Yogyakarta Principles.
Nepal-Three Presentations on Nepal’s new Constitution and Fundamental Rights of Minorities-Publications-2008 (full text, PDF)
ICJ compilation in sexual orientation and gender identity in human rights law
The ICJ third compilation on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Human Rights Law contains excerpts of jurisprudential, legislative and doctrinal references from the Council of Europe and the European Union. It is meant to frame an informed debate on the Human Rights concerns of SOGI in Europe as well as to be a resource for Human Rights defenders working on these issues. An index and keywords before each case facilitate the navigation in the numerous documents.
sexual orientation gender identity law CoE EU-publication-2007 (full text, PDF)
Sexual orientation and gender identity in human rights law, references to jurisprudence and doctrine of the Inter-American system
Please find attached the second edition of the Inter-American References on human rights violations on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Sexual Orientation Inter-American References-Pulications-2007 (full text, PDF)
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