Joint submission presented by human rights groups on behalf of the International Coalition for an Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
NGOs invoved: ICJ, the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions, Foodfirst Information and Action Network and International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia-Pacific
Joint Submission for an Optional Protocol to the ICESCR [full text, PDF]
Three leading human rights groups today urged states not to undermine the rule of law or carry out repression in the fight against terrorism
The ICJ has recently updated its series of user friendly fact sheets that further clarify the legal content of economic, social and cultural rights.
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or punishment and the Convention on the Rights o f the Child do not contain any specific provisions concerning the trial of civilians by military courts.
Nevertheless, the Human Rights Committee, the Committee against Torture and the Committee on the Rights of the Child have repeatedly taken the view that civilians should not be tried in military courts.
Military Jurisdiction and international law(vol.2)-thematic reports-2005-eng (full text in English, PDF)
The ICJ welcomes the appointment of Manfred Nowak as United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture.
![Smoke rises after an Israeli air strike on the village of Taybeh in southern Lebanon [Source: Al Jazeera]](https://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-20-at-15.56.24-300x200.png)
Lebanon: Israel must immediately stop using unlawful mass displacement orders and inflicting terror on civilians
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