In July 2009, Muhannad Al-Hasani, a Syrian lawyer, human rights defender and ICJ Commissioner, was arrested in Damascus by officers of the Syrian General Intelligence Service.
Syria-trial Al-Hasani-trial observation report-2010 (full text in English, PDF)
The ICJ strongly condemns the decision of the Second Criminal Court of Damascus to convict Mr. Muhannad Al-Hasani, a prominent lawyer and human rights defender, and sentence him to three years imprisonment.
He was arrested on 28 July by officers of the Syrian General Intelligence Service and formally charged by an Investigating Judge on 12 October 2009 for“weakening national sentiments and encouraging racist and sectarian feelings”, and “transferring false and exaggerated news that weaken national sentiments” under Articles 285, 286 and 287 of the Penal Code.
Syria-Al-Hasani immediate release-press release-2009 (full text in English, PDF)
Syria-Al-Hasani persecution continues-press release-2010 (full text in English, PDF)
Syria-trial Al-Hasani Criminal Court-trial observation report-2010 (full text in English, PDF)
At the UN Human Rights Council, the ICJ requested that the Government of Iran allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit the country expeditiously.
The call comes as Iranian security forces have continued to engage in extrajudicial killing, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and other ill-treatment of peaceful protesters following the flawed 2009 presidential elections. In addition, the ICJ urged the Government of Sri Lanka to stop a campaign of intimidation against journalists, human rights defenders and members of the opposition.
Iran-Sri Lanka-gross human rights viloations-open letter-2011 (full text, PDF)
The ICJ denounced a lack of progress in achieving accountability for alleged gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed during the Gaza conflict.The ICJ urged the Human Rights Council to assist in establishing an expert group to monitor progress of national investigations, and invited the Security Council to refer this situation to the International Criminal Court to ensure that alleged perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity are investigated and held criminally accountable.
Palestine-intervetion rights situation-analysis brief-2010 (full text in English, PDF)
The ICJ and the other members of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA) jury are concerned over the arrest of Iranian human rights defender Emadeddin Baghi, who received the MEA in 2009.
They seek clarification of the reason of his arrest and the charges he faces. Emadeddin Baghi is arbitrarily detained for his human rights-related activities, in violation of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, as he is imprisoned for the peaceful exercise of his rights to freedoms of expression and association.
Iran-arbitrary detention Baghi-Open Letters-2010 (full text, pdf)
Tunisia: Conviction of Ebru Timtik Award Laureate Ahmed Souab marks escalating repression of lawyers
ICJ Honored for Championing Refugee and Migrant Justice Worldwide
Thailand: Swift action is needed to ensure access to justice for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence
Uzbekistan: ICJ and the Academy of Justice open the third cycle of the International Human Rights Law Course