The ICJ condemns the purported abrogation of the constitution in Fiji and the summary dismissal of the entire judiciary under the pretext of establishing a “New Legal Order.”
Fiji-the government should respect rule of law-Press releases-2009 (full text, PDF)
Overbroad and vague emergency laws fail to meet basic human rights and criminal justice safeguards, and in some cases grant immunity from prosecution, the ICJ said in a new 47-page analysis brief.
The ICJ called upon the Government of Sri Lanka to initiate a wholesale review of the existing framework of emergency and counter-terrorism laws.
SriLanka-emergencylaws-advocacy-analysis brief 2009 (full text, PDF)
The ICJ welcomes the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry by the Government of Pakistan.
“The reinstatement of the Chief Justice is an historic milestone in reaffirming the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in Pakistan,”said Dato Param Cumaraswamy, ICJ Honorary Commissioner and former UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges. “It will help restore public and international confidence in the judicial system, but for this to be effective, the Government must ensure functional independence of the judiciary, without any executive interference in the future.”
Pakistan-reinstatemt-chiefjustice-web story-2009 (full text, PDF)
Serious failures in the criminal investigation have denied justice in the case of disappeared Muslim lawyer Somchai Neelapaichit in Thailand, the ICJ said in a new report released today.
The ICJ said there were no signs of concrete progress in bringing the perpetrators to justice and urged the investigators to use all available legal powers to overcome a ‘wall of silence’ in the police and to secure essential evidence.
Thailand-Serious failures in the criminal investigation-Press releases-2009 (full text, PDF)
Link to report of trial obervation mission (in English and Thai)
The systematic practice of enforced disappearances during Nepal’s civil war was among the worst anywhere in the world. The whereabouts of more than 1,000 people are still unknown.
To date not a single perpetrator of past human rights violations has been brought to justice and impunity remains widespread.
The Government has taken a crucial step by introducing a law to address the problem of enforced disappearances. The Ordinance, promulgated by the President on 12 February 2009, criminalizes the act of enforced disappearance, establishes a commission to investigate past cases from 1996 to 2006, and provides for prosecution of perpetrators and reparations for victims.
However, these positive steps could be undermined by the failure of certain provisions to meet international human rights standards. The ICJ paper reviews international law and best practices on enforced disappearances and makes a number of recommendations to improve specific provisions of the Nepali law in key areas and to strengthen the independence and effectiveness of the Commission on Disappearances.
Nepal-Briefing paper on Enforced Disappearances-Analysis briefs-2009 (full text, PDF)
Nepal-CJ calls for amendments-Press releases-2009 (full text, PDF)
Joint Statement on Viet Nam’s Transnational Repression in Thailand
HRC62: ICJ Calls on Nepal to Strengthen Accountability and Protect Civic Space
In memory of Gustavo Gallón
Tunisia: Conviction and sentence of Anas Hmedi, President of the Association of Tunisian Magistrates, must be quashed