Mar 6, 2008 | News
The ICJ today concluded its second high-level mission to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).
ICJ Commissioners Professor Pedro Nikken and Professor Rajeev Dhavan led the mission. In the West Bank, they met with senior Palestinian officials, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Mr. Issa Abu Sharar, the Public Prosecutor, Mr. Ahmed Maghni, and representatives of local NGOs and the legal community. They also visited illegal settlements and the wall of separation in the West Bank and Jerusalem. In Israel, the ICJ delegation held meetings with senior governmental officials and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Israel, Ms. Dorit Beinisch
This mission followed the first ICJ mission to Gaza, led by its Secretary-General in December 2007. The first mission met with representatives of the dismissed government of Hamas, senior judges, lawyers, local NGOs and representatives of the legal community. The mission visited refugee camps in Jabaliya, Dir Al Balah, Khan Younes, witnessing the devastating impact of the Israeli siege of Gaza on the humanitarian situation in these camps and the human rights of the civilian population in Gaza.
Palestine-Israel-ICJ Includes a Second High Level Mission to the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel-web-2008 (full text, PDF)
Jan 1, 2007 | News
The ICJ today condemned the bomb attacks that occurred across Bangkok on New Year’s Eve which are reported to have killed three and injured over 20.
“Thorough and impartial investigations will be needed to discover who committed these bombings and why. But it is already self-evident that there can be no justification for these violent acts”, said Nicholas Howen, ICJ Secretary-General. “These are criminal acts and those responsible will have to be brought to justice in accordance with international standards”, he added.
The ICJ expressed its condolences to the victims and their families.
Thailand-new year bomb attacks-Press releases-2007 (full text, PDF)
Jul 25, 2005 | News
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.
Jul 7, 2005 | News
The ICJ and JUSTICE, its British Section, condemn today’s bomb attacks killing and injuring civilians in the city of London.
“The indiscriminate targeting and killing of civilians can never be justified morally or legally. Those responsible must be brought to justice within the criminal justice system and in accordance with international standards”, says Nicholas Howen, ICJ Secretary-General.
“In times of crisis, it is all the more important to strengthen our efforts to uphold the very principles of liberty, human rights and the rule of law that once again came under attack today,” says Roger Smith, Director of JUSTICE.
The ICJ and JUSTICE express their condolences to the victims of the bombings, their families and close ones and their sympathy with the people of London.
UK-lawyers condemn attack London-press release-2005 (full text in English, PDF)
May 12, 2005 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
On 10 May, the ICJ made a submission to the Committee against Torture (CAT) on the recently introduced draft law on counter-terrorism in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
This law – if adopted – would greatly reduce safeguards against torture, cruel or inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment and negatively affect the implementation of the Convention against Torture in Bahrain. The ICJ invited the Committee to assess the impact of this draft law on the implementation of Bahrain’s obligations under the Convention and make recommendations to Bahrain to ensure that the law complies with international human right standards.
Bahrain-impact law counter-terrorism-non-judicial submission-2005 (full text in English, PDF)
Bahrain-impact law counter-terrorism-non-judicial submission-2005 (full text in Arabic, PDF)
