The ICJ called today on the UN Human Rights Council to establish an international independent mechanism to ensure accountability for gross human rights violations in the Yemen.
The statement reads as follows:
“Mr President,
A year after this Council’s decision to discontinue the mandate of the Group of Eminent Experts (GEE) on Yemen, and while the truce has just collapsed, the parties to the armed conflict have made little to no progress to address ongoing and widespread international human rights and humanitarian law violations or to remedy the harms they have inflicted on civilians. The humanitarian situation in Yemen remains desperate, and in recent weeks armed clashes have once again increased. Civilians continue to fall victim to shelling, drone strikes and other attacks.
In its last report to the HRC in September 2021, the GEE emphasized the “extreme suffering for civilians every day in Yemen”, the need to realize victims’ right to reparation, and reiterated its call on UN Member States to:
- refer the situation in Yemen to the International Criminal Court; and
- support the establishment of a criminal accountability-focused investigative mechanism.
To fill the accountability gap in Yemen, the ICJ renews its call on the international community, including this Council, the UN General Assembly, and their Member States to establish an independent international mechanism to:
- investigate, collect and preserve evidence;
- prepare files for possible future criminal prosecutions; and
- publicly report on the most serious violations of international law committed in the country.
I thank you.”
Contact:
Massimo Frigo, ICJ UN Representative, e: massimo.frigo(a)icj.org, t: +41797499949