May 17, 2011 | Events
The ICJ and the Southern African Chief Justices’ Forum (SACJF) will be hosting the 2nd Judges’ Summer Colloquium on ‘Independence of the Judiciary as a Challenge to Democracy, Human Rights and Rule of Law’.
The event, to take place in Livingstone (Zambia), from 19 – 21 May, 2011 will provide space for a critical review of the current state of judicial independence in the East and Southern Africa region, by the Chief Justices from the judiciaries within the region, Judges from Zambia, and stakeholders from continental and regional institutions including the ICJ, OSISA, IAWJ, SADC LA, UN agencies, NGOs and academic institutions. Over 60 participants from national, regional and international institutions are expected to attend
Zambia-human rights and rule of law-event-2011 (full text, PDF)
Apr 14, 2011 | News
The ICJ has called upon the Tunisian authorities to take immediate steps to pursue accountability for past human rights violations and to reform the country’s legal framework.
The statement comes as the ICJ concluded a high-level mission to Tunisia aimed at assessing the Rule of Law and human rights situation in the country following theouster of the regime of former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on 14 January 2011.
The mission was headed by ICJ President Pedro Nikken, who was accompanied by ICJ Secretary General Wilder Tayler, and ICJ Legal Adviser for the Middle East and North Africa Saïd Benarbia.
Tunisia-rule of law and human rights accountbility-press release-2011 (full text, DPF)
Dec 1, 2010 | Events
The ICJ supports a Symposium organized by the Judge Advocate General’s Department of the Ministry of Defence on “The Military and the Law: Issues of Obedience, Compliance and Enforcement”.
Following the success of a previous ICJ-JAG Symposium on “The Rule of Law and the Military” held in 2008, this event is designed to enhance understanding within the military legal community of the importance of the rule of law and human rights in an enforcement context. The Symposium will be held from 1-3 December 2010 at the Royal River Hotel, Bangkok and will be attended by military legal professionals, members of the judiciary and academia, government officials and civil society representatives.
Objectives:
1. To enhance the knowledge and understanding of military officers in the Judge Advocate General’s Department and other military departments and agencies regarding the national and international legal framework applicable to their activities, in order that they may provide legal opinions to their commanders and agencies, a duty essential to ensuring that the operations of the Ministry of Defence and associated agencies comply with the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand and relevant laws.
2. To provide an opportunity for military officers to meet and to exchange opinions with civilian experts, members of civil society and representatives of the media in order to build and strengthen good working relationships.
Co-Hosts: The Judge Advocate General’s Department, Ministry of Defence of Thailand and The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)
Dates: 3 days, 1-3 December 2010
Location: Royal River Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
Thailand-symposiumagenda-news-2010 (full text, PDF)
Thailand-symposiumagenda-news-2010-tha (full text in Thai, PDF)
Oct 5, 2010 | Agendas
On September 20-21, 2010, the ICJ Global Security and Rule of Law Initiative convened an informal expert consultation on the issue of drone killings and targeted killings. The meeting discussed legal policy and advocacy issues with the perspective of strengthening the international human rights response to the increasing use of drone killings in different parts of the world, including in situations of armed conflicts and outside genuine armed conflicts. It illustrated the frequent disregard of international human rights law and a lack of transparency and accountability for when and how drones are used for targeted killings. The meeting brought together senior lawyers of leading international human rights organizations, experts of international humanitarian law and general international law. The newly appointed UN Special Rapporteur on Arbitrary and Summary Executions also attended the meeting.
For more information see the agenda of the meeting.
Drones killing rights back-agenda-2010 (full text in English, PDF)
Sep 17, 2010 | Events
The side event, held during the 15th session of the UN Human Rights Council, will look into the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, in the aftermath of May 2009.
The post-conflict phase in Sri Lanka is failing to meet minimal expectations on rule of law, democratic participation, investigation of, and accountability, for human rights violations, and ending impunity; not to mention social rehabilitation and political reconciliation after war. The side event will particularly focus on three issues: alleged war crimes, the fate of surrendered Tamil combatants and the governance on human rights and impunity.
Sri Lanka-rights challenges-event-2010 (full text in English, PDF)
