Nov 23, 2014 | Events
In partnership with the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), the ICJ convened and participated in a one-day workshop on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council, held in Lahore on 22 November 2014.
The workshop was convened by the ICJ and HRCP as a follow up to, and in response to requests by participants at, training workshops held in Pakistan in February 2014. Now half way between Pakistan’s second and third periodic reviews under the UPR mechanism, the workshop brought together representatives from civil society from throughout Pakistan working on a wide range of human rights issues. It drew from the experience of national and international advocates and human rights lawyers and defenders to discuss:
- The importance of international human rights law at the national level;
- The UPR as a mechanism for human rights protection and how it fits within the broader framework of UN human rights mechanisms;
- Opportunities for NGO engagement in the UPR, especially in the development of a mid-term civil society evaluation report and in preparation for Pakistan’s third cycle UPR in 2017; and
- Weaknesses in Pakistan’s engagement with the UPR.
Sep 5, 2014 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions, Uncategorized
The ICJ, Amnesty and independent experts Eugene R. Fidell, Elizabeth L. Hillman, Nancy Duff Campbell, made a submission for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United States on the failure of the US military justice system to comply with the State’s international human rights obligations.
USA-Military Justice system UPR-Advocacy-non legal submission-2014 (full text in pdf)
Mar 27, 2014 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ made an oral statement on the recommendations made to Israel by the UN Human Rights Council, following Israel’s Universal Periodic Review.
The ICJ statement focussed on recommendations related to:
- compliance with international humanitarian and international human rights law , including particularly for thorough and impartial investigations into all allegations of human rights and humanitarian law violations committed in the context of the prolonged occupation of the OPT, and accountability of individuals responsible for such violations;
- Israel’s unlawful settlement policy;
- the separation wall; and
- administrative detention.
The full statement can be downloaded in PDF: Advocacy-UN-HRC25-IsraelUPR-20032014
Video of the discussion, including the ICJ statement, may be viewed here.
Mar 21, 2014 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ spoke at the UN Human Rights Council on the lack of progress in Nepal on ending impunity.The oral statement was delivered during the general debate on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
Nepal has failed to take concrete action to implement key UPR recommendations, including those crucial to implementing the right to an effective remedy and reparation, creating effective mechanisms for transitional justice and ending impunity.
The Government continues to try to force through a Truth and Reconciliation Commission that is not human rights complicant and has already been ruled invalid by the Supreme Court of Nepal.
Nepal has also failed to take meaningful measures to investigate human rights violations and abuses that arose during the armed conflict.
The ICJ called on Nepal to take specific measures towards ending impunity.
The full written statement can be downloaded, in PDF format: Advocacy-UN-HRC25-Nepal-OralStatement-2103214
The representative of Nepal exercised the right of reply in response to ICJ’s oral statement.
Video of the oral statement, and Nepal’s statement in reply, via the official UN webcast.
Mar 5, 2014 | Advocacy
The ICJ has submitted a written statement to the Human Rights Council, on lack of progress in Nepal to end impunity.
The written statement, published by the United Nations today, notes that in 2012 the Government of Nepal adopted a plan to implement the recommendations made during its 2011 Universal Periodic Review (UPR) by the Human Rights Council.
However, Nepal has failed to take necessary measures to implement recommendations on ending impunity.
Key concerns include:
- the failure to implement recommendations for strengthening the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC),
- failure to draft constitutional provisions consistent with international legal principles on the protection of human rights, rule of law and the right to effective remedy,
- failure to establishment of credible transitional justice measures,
- failure to take the necessary practical steps in relation to individual cases, towards ending impunity
Nepal-WrittenStatement-HRC25-Advocacy-2014 (download PDF)
