The ICJ is concerned by sedition charges filed against student leader Gagan Thapa and reiterated its call for the repeal of the law that allows for the imprisonment of peaceful activists who legitimately criticize the monarchy.
On 25 July 2005 the ICJ made an oral intervention at the 57th Session of the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights under Agenda Item 1 (Organization of work).
The ICJ unequivocally condemns the bombings that rocked the city of Sharm al-Sheikh on Friday night, which left at least 64 people dead and hundreds of wounded, according to the latest official estimates.
“Indiscriminate attacks against civilians are totally prohibited under international law and cannot be justified under any circumstances”, said Nicholas Howen, ICJ Secretary-General. “Perpetrators of such killings against civilians have to be brought to justice, in full compliance with international human rights law”, he added.
However, in view of the large number of reportedly arbitrary arrests that took place after previous attacks, such as the bombing in Taba in October 2004 and the bombing in the Cairo Bazaar in April 2005, the ICJ recalls in particular that human rights law forbids arbitrary, secret or incommunicado detention, as well as torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. As the authorities have already started arresting suspects, it is crucial to respect such human rights obligations and to try perpetrators of such attacks in ordinary courts that respect fair trial standards.
The ICJ expresses its condolences to the relatives and families of the victims of the bombings.
The ICJ, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch call on the Chilean Supreme Court to revise its decision to terminate the mandate of the special judges currently investigating human rights violations during the dictatorship.
The Chilean Supreme Court should reconsider its decision to end the mandate of the special judges investigating human rights violations committed under the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet, a group of leading international human rights organizations said today in an urgent appeal made in support of their Chilean counterparts.
Chile-crimes shut down-press release-2005 (full text in English, PDF)
As the international community is poised to establish a special rapporteur of the United Nations on protecting human rights in counter-terrorism efforts, a small number of states – led by China, Russia and United States – are colluding to block the establishment of an effective mandate.
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