Sep 11, 2012 | Advocacy, Legal submissions
During the 21st session of the UN Human Rights Council (10-28 September 2012), the ICJ made an oral statement relating to the report of the UN Secretary-General on reprisals against persons cooperating with the UN and its mechanisms.
In a general debate concerning reports of the UN Secretary-General, including his report on reprisals against human rights defenders (HRDs), the ICJ delivered an oral statement on 11 September 2012 concerning impunity for attacks against HRDs in Sudan.
The ICJ’s statement called on the Human Rights Council to urge Sudan to:
- Protect the rights of HRDs, including those cooperating with the UN;
- Initiate a prompt, thorough, and independent investigation into incidents brought to the attention of the Council;
- Hold criminally accountable those responsible and ensure access to a remedy and reparations for the victims of such attacks;
- Guarantee the safe return and reintegration in Sudan of the human rights defenders concerned; and
- Repeal all laws that describe human rights activities as spying and espionage.
Sudan-HRC21-Item2-OralStatementReprials-2012 (download statement)
Aug 9, 2012 | News
The ICJ is urging the Syrian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Mazen Darwish, a prominent human rights lawyer and defender, and President of the Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM).
Aug 6, 2012 | News
The ICJ calls on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities to end their crackdown on lawyers and human rights defenders.
Jun 11, 2012 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ, together with other NGOs, submitted four documents and oral statements to the 19th Annual Meeting of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council.
From 11 to 15 June 2012, the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council will undertake its 19th Annual Meeting. On behalf of 22 non-governmental organisations, the ICJ addressed an open letter dated 1 June 2012 to the Coordination Committee of the Special Procedures. Building on a Joint Statement produced following the 18th Annual Meeting in 2011, the letter welcomes some positive developments and initiatives, and provides comments or suggestions for improvement on the following topics:
- the communications reports of the Special Procedures;
- the handling of urgent appeals and individual communications;
- non-cooperation by States;
- reprisals against persons who cooperate with the UN;
- the OHCHR compilation of UN information for the Universal Periodic Review;
- NGO briefings conducted in the margins of Human Rights Council sessions; and
- the Special Procedures “facts and figures”.
In an oral statement during the Annual Meeting, the ICJ also drew attention to the recently elaborated Maastricht Principles on Extraterritorial Obligations of States in the area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Apr 24, 2012 | News
Former Swiss President and newly-appointed Chair of the Martin Ennals Foundation, Micheline Calmy-Rey, today announced the nominees for the 2012 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA). The MEA is the main award of the international human rights movement.
During the 21st session of the UN Human Rights Council (10-28 September 2012), the ICJ made an oral statement relating to the report of the UN Secretary-General on reprisals against persons cooperating with the UN and its mechanisms.
