Fight against impunity must be continued on International Justice Day

Fight against impunity must be continued on International Justice Day

The ICJ says the fight against impunity and for international justice has made positive progress in the last decade, not least with the commencement of the first cases at the International Criminal Court.

Nevertheless, international justice continues to encounter obstacles in its development. The ICJ, the legal community and all the human rights movement must continue their efforts to attain universal justice and an end to impunity.


Fight against impunity must be continued-web story-2009 (full text, PDF)

The Martin Ennals Award 2009 goes again to a human rights defender from Iran

The Martin Ennals Award 2009 goes again to a human rights defender from Iran

Emad Baghi, a leading Iranian human rights defender based in Tehran, founded the Society for the Defense of Prisoners’ Rights, and has been a vigorous and outspoken opponent of the death penalty in Iran.

His campaigning includes a scholarly examination of Islamic law (shari`a) on the subject, in which he demonstrates the absence of any doctrinal requirement for maintaining capital punishment. In addition, Baghi’s inventory of death row prisoners in Iran, including juvenile offenders, has been an important resource for UN human rights bodies as well as human rights groups outside the country.

Baghi has spent four years in prison over the past decade for his campaigning against the death penalty and other rights activities. Currently out of jail, he still faces charges relating to his work for the defense of prisoners rights. Baghi suffers from serious heart and kidney ailments; in August 2008 prison physicians declared his condition critical.

Martin Ennals Award goes again to a Human Rights Defender-web story-2009 (full text, PDF)

Human rights impacted by ill-conceived counter-terrorism measures

Human rights impacted by ill-conceived counter-terrorism measures

The ICJ presented today the findings of a worldwide inquiry by a panel of some of the most prominent jurists into the impact of counter-terrorism laws on human rights at the United Nations in New York.

The report of the Eminent Jurists Panel concludes that many governments have confronted the threat of terrorism with ill-conceived measures that have undermined cherished values and resulted in serious violations of human rights.

It illustrates the devastating effects that notorious counter-terrorism measures such as extraordinary rendition, torture, arbitrary detention, and unfair trials have had on human rights worldwide.

It also warns of the increasing secrecy preventing accountability, and the danger of “temporary” measures becoming permanent features of law and practice in many states.

UN leadership in counter-terrorism-press release-2011 (full text, PDF)

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