The ICJ called on the UN Human Rights Council today to renew the mandate of the OHCHR examination team on the situation of human rights in Belarus and to work towards ensuring accountabiltiy for crimes under international law.
The ICJ today called on the UN Human Rights Council to establish a strong Commission of Inquiry to counter impunity for crimes under international law and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law following the agression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the massacre of 34 people in Roboski, Southeast Turkey, and take stock of the continuing lack of accountability and reparations for the victims and their family members, the ICJ convened a group of experts on 13 December.
“The Roboski massacre was carried out in clear violation of international human rights law”, said Roisin Pillay, Director of the ICJ Europe and Central Asia Programme, “Since then, the Turkish authorities have further violated their international obligations by failing to provide investigation or accountability for the arbitrary killings. Ten years later, the Turkish authorities must end this impunity.”
On 28 December 2011, 34 persons living in Turkish villages near the border with Iraq, including 17 children, were killed by a Turkish military bombshell during a purported “counter-terrorism” operation, known as the “Roboski massacre”.
The ICJ expressed concern at the prevailing impunity for most serious crimes under international law in Syria and, before the UN Human Rights Council, called on UN Member States to act to ensure accountability.
At the UN Human Rights Council, the ICJ today raised the attention of UN Member States to the dire situation of human rights and lack of accountability in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Venezuela.