The ICJ expresses its serious concern about imminent plans to adopt two important treaties in Europe with serious implications for human rights without prior parliamentary or other public consultation.
Mr. Niall MacDermot, the Secretary-General of the ICJ has issued the following press statement today.
The ICJ has received with dismay news of the tragic events in recent days in Romania, and calls upon the government of Romania to take urgent action to bring to justice all those responsible for these disturbances.
These events are of profound concern to all those seeking to build a new and united Europe on the basis of the spontaneous movement for free and democratic governments.
We trust that the Romanian people and their authorities at all levels will take immediately the necessary steps to prevent any repetition of these events, and will do all in their power to bring about unity and harmony between them and the minorities in their country.
This meeting takes place at the European Social Charter, The Hague, Peace Palace from 20 to 22 September 1989, just two and a half years after our last meeting in Strasbourg held in April 1987.
Following the 8 November 1987 referendum abolishing the law limiting the civil responsibility of judges, the ICJ have urged the Italian authorities in drafting new legislation to respect UN standards of judicial independence.
In a letter to Mr. GIuliano Vassalli, Italian Minister of Justice, the two organisations drew attention to the U.N. Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, which the General Assembly has called on governments to respect and to take into account in their national legislation. The Principles provide that while a judge may be subject to appropriate disciplinary procedure for wrongful acts, and while an aggrieved individual may seek compensation from the state, “judges should enjoy personal immunity from civil suits for monetary damages for improper acts or omissions in the exercise of their judicial functions.”
The two organisations, which work with judges and lawyers worldwide to promote the Rule of Law and the independence of the judiciary, consider that the immunity of Judges from personal liability is an essential safeguard of judicial independence.
Impunidad, crimen de lesa humanidad y desaparición forzada.
ICJ Review-38-1987-spa (La Revista en Español, PDF)
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