Jan 1, 1989
The activities of the ICJ in the three years, 1986 to 1988 have continued to be directed towards the three major classes of activities which the ICJ has pursued from its early days.
- Promoting the observance, respect for and implementation of human rights under the Rule of Law;
- Activities relating to the violations of human rights;
- Standard-setting i.e. developing and helping to secure adoption of international instruments in the field of human rights.
The report also contains an overview of the activities of the Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers (CIJL), activities of national sections and affiliates and Appendices: summaries of seminars and UN-related activities.
ICJ-report of activities-1986-1988-annual report-1989-eng (full text in English, PDF)
Jan 1, 1989
Los ataques cada vez mas frecuentes contra jueces y abogados durante los anos 70, sobre todo en America Latina, causaron gran preocupacion entre abogados y organizaclones de derechos humanos.
Jan 1, 1988 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
Article by Niall MacDermot, Secretary-General of the ICJ, who first outlines the contents and history of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He then describes the contribution of NGOs to the United Nations and regional mechanisms, in terms of standard-setting and interventions on violations.
Reprint from the book “Human rights in the changing world”, published by the International Law Association Regional Branch (India) and edited by E.S. Venkataramiah.
Role NGOs human rights-non-legal submission-1988-eng (full text in English, PDF)
Jan 1, 1985
Inspired by U.S. Congressional initiatives in the 1970’s which made human rights an integral part of the foreign policy of the US, the American Association for the ICJ has helped arrange a series of fora over the last eight years for bilateral exchanges of view on this key issue.
Jul 1, 1984
It has long been observed by the American Association for the ICJ (AAICJ) that one of the main instruments employed by governments to repress and deny the fundamental rights and freedoms of peoples has been the illegal and unwarranted Declaration of Martial Law or a State of Emergency.
Very often these measures are taken under the pretext of the existence of a “ public emergency which threatens the life of the nation” or “ threats to its national security.”
The abuse of applicable provisions allowing governments to limit and derogate from certain rights contained in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights has resulted in the need for a closer examination of the conditions and grounds for permissible limitations and derogations in order to achieve an effective implementation of the rule of law. The United Nations General Assembly has frequently emphasized the importance of a uniform interpretation of limitations on rights enunciated in the Covenant.
With this in mind, the A AICJ initiated a colloquium composed of 31 distinguished experts in international law, held at Siracusa, Italy, in the Spring of 1984. This meeting, the first of its kind, was co-sponsored by the ICJ, the Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights, and the International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences.
The participants examined the limitation and derogation provisions in the Covenant, seeking to identify:
- their legitimate objectives;
- the general principles of interpretation which govern their imposition and application; and
- some of the main features of the grounds for limitation or derogation
The document contains:
- an introductory note
- the texts of the Siracusa Principles, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and its Optional Protocol, plus individual limitation provisions cross-referenced to the Covenant
Siracusa principles-ICCPR-legal submission-1985-eng (full text in English, PDF)
![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)