The Sri Lankan Government must stop harassing and threatening journalists, government officials, doctors and social media users with legal actions for criticizing the State response to COVID-19, said the ICJ today.
In a new briefing paper issued today, the ICJ calls on the Thai authorities to cease all arbitrary restrictions on the right to freedom of expression as a result of the enforcement of new regulations and existing laws purportedly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ICJ today addressed the UN Human Rights Council in the Interactive Dialogue on the Report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on COVID-19 responses and human rights.
Hoy, la CIJ pidió à la Oficina de la Alta Comisionada para los Derechos Humanos de asegurar transparencia y participación de sus actividades en Venezuela, durante el dialogo sobre la actualización oral de Alta Comisionada para los Derechos Humanos sobre la situación en Venezuela
Aqui la Declaración Oral:
“Señora Presidenta,
La Comisión Internacional de Juristas agradece la actualización oral de la Alta Comisionada sobre la situación en Venezuela, particularmente respecto de la cooperación entre su oficina y las autoridades venezolanas.
La CIJ subraya la importancia de la transparencia en las actividades realizadas bajo el Memorándum de Entendimiento (MDE) firmado por ambas partes. La publicación del MDE para informar al público y asegurar el óptimo involucramiento de las partes interesadas, es fundamental para su éxito.
La CIJ enfatiza que además de los derechos civiles y políticos, los derechos económicos sociales y culturales continúan siendo violados en Venezuela; esta situación se ha visto agravada por la pandemia de COVID-19. En enero de 2021, al menos 37 trabajadores habían fallecido debido a la falta de equipos de protección y suministros básicos en los centros de salud.
Además, a la luz de los recientes anuncios de autoridades venezolanas, parecen existir consideraciones políticas en las prioridades del plan de vacunación contra la COVID-19, en lugar de criterios objetivos y de salud pública, lo que podría dar lugar a discriminación y denegación de igual protección ante la ley.
La CIJ recomienda que la Alta Comisionada monitoree y reporte sobre el cumplimiento de sus recomendaciones previas que fueron realizadas a las autoridades estatales, así como sobre el involucramiento más amplio de su oficina con organizaciones de la sociedad civil local, con miras a proteger los derechos humanos
Gracias.”
Contact:
Massimo Frigo, ICJ UN Representative, e: massimo.frigo(a)icj.org, t: +41797499949
The ICJ today condemned the proclamation by the Sri Lankan president to establish a Presidential Task Force dominated by the security forces and called for the proclamation to be rescinded.
On June 2, 2020, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa issued an extraordinary gazette establishing a 13-member “Presidential Task Force to build a Secure Country, Disciplined, Virtuous and Lawful Society.” The Task Force is composed entirely of military, intelligence and police officials. It is to be headed by Defence Secretary, Retired Major General Kamal Gunaratne.
“This Presidential Task Force constitutes another act of over-reach by a government seeking to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to further expand its powers,” said Frederick Rawski, ICJ’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. “Its mandate is overbroad, and it empowers its military and police membership – including alleged war criminals – at a time when strong, independent, civilian-led policy-making is what is needed.”
The Task Force is given a sweeping mandate which includes:
The task force also has the power to “conduct investigations and to issue directions as may be necessary in connection with the functions entrusted to it.” This includes issuing instructions to government officials to comply with its directives or be reported to the President.
The ICJ raised concerns that the task force has not been established on proper legal foundations. It is apparently pursuant to the broad, but ill-defined presidential powers under Article 33 of the Constitution.
The ICJ said that the task force could effectively usurp the powers and functions normally reserved for civilian authorities, under rule of law principles and as established by the Constitution and relevant enabling legislations.
Article 42 (1) of the Constitution provides that the “Cabinet of Ministers shall be charged with the direction and control of the Government.” Law enforcement and public officials under the direction of the relevant Minister have been designated under existing laws to specifically address drug-related offences and any other illegal and/ or criminal activity that seemingly fall within the mandate of this Task Force. The independence of public officials will be compromised if they are compelled to report to a military-dominated body. The Gazette provides no detail on how this reporting process would operate, or the legal consequences of refusing to act as instructed.
“Few doubt that this task force will be used as another tool to suppress speech and target critics of the Sri Lankan government. It is disturbing that such a potentially consequential body has been formed pursuant to broad presidential powers, with no reference to judicial or parliamentary oversight,” said Rawski. “Vague and overbroad language such as ‘anti-social activities’ could effectively criminalize expression protected under international law. Such provisions are inconsistent with the rule of law and contravene the principle of legality.”
The task force’s military and police membership follows a pattern of recent military appointments to civil administrative positions by the incumbent President. The military personnel appointed include officials credibly accused of war crimes. Chairman Major General Kamal Gunaratne was the commander of the 53rd division and Major General Shavendra Silva was the commander of the 58th Division of the Sri Lankan Army. Both units were identified by multiple UN investigatory bodies as having been involved in the commission of serious crimes and human rights violations during the last stages of Sri Lanka’s decades-long armed conflict which ended in 2009.
The ICJ called upon President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to rescind the extraordinary gazette establishing the Presidential Task Force. The role of the military in public life must be strictly circumscribed and matters pertaining to civil administrcation should be executed by elected and public officials in respect of the rule of law and principles of democratic governance.
Contact
Frederick Rawski, ICJ’s Asia Pacific Regional Director, t: +66 2 619 84 77; e: frederick.rawski(a)icj.org
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