Posts Tagged ‘International Commission of Jurists’
November 4, 2016
Sam Zarifi has been appointed to serve as ICJ’s next Secretary General when the current Secretary-General retires next spring. Wilder Tayler will continue to work as SG until the end of March 2017 and Sam will begin in April 2017, although there will be some overlap to ensure a smooth transition in the Geneva based HQ.
Sam is a veteran of the human rights movement, with a most impressive array of experience and contacts, and has done phenomenal work as Director of the ICJ’s Asia and Pacific Regional Programme over the last four years. Prior to joining the ICJ Sam served as Amnesty International’s Director for Asia and the Pacific from 2008 to 2012. He was at Human Rights Watch from 2000, where he was Deputy Director of the Asia division. He was Senior Research Fellow at Erasmus University Rotterdam from 1997 to 2000, where he co-edited Liability of Multinational Corporations under International Law (Kluwer 2000) as well as several other publications on the subject. Sam was born and raised in Tehran, Iran and moved to the United States to complete his education. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University and his Juris Doctor from Cornell Law School in 1993. After practicing as a corporate litigator for several years, he obtained an LL.M in Public International Law from New York University School of Law in 1997.
Source: ICJ Newsletter – November 2016
Posted in human rights, ICJ | 1 Comment »
Tags: asian region, Geneva, ICJ, International Commission of Jurists, Iran, leadership, Sam Zarifi
April 23, 2016
As the main author of a book on “Indonesia and the Rule of Law” published as far back as 1987 (Pinter Publishers ISBN 0-86187-919-8; International Commission of Jurists) I cannot be but very interested in the way the Indonesian government deals with the mass atrocities that took place in 1965. It had promised in the elections (Nawacita) to investigate and this is also laid down in its National Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMN) 2015-2019. Under the title “Indonesia: What next after symposium on 1965 massacre, Mr. President?” the Asian Human Rights Commission on 21 April comments on the half hearted start the Government made with a symposium held on 18 and 19 April 2016 in Jakarta. The government, represented by the President’s advisory body, the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), the Press Council, and also representatives from other government institutions attended the symposium. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in AHRC, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, ICJ | Leave a Comment »
Tags: 1965 massacre, Asian Human Rights Commission, impunity, Indonesia, Indonesia and the Rule of Law, International Commission of Jurists, investigation, Komnas HAM, rehabilitation, The Economist, Truth and Reconciliation Commission
December 6, 2014
Six prominent human rights defenders who participated in the ICJ’s Geneva Forum 2014 give their views on judicial protection of economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR) as well as on what needs to be changed to address obstacles to guarantee an effective remedy for victims of violations of their socio-economic rights:
- Jacqueline Dugard
- Hina Jilani
- Rodrigo Uprimny Yepes
- Gilles Badet
- Alejandra Ancheita (MEA Laureate 2014) and
- Harsh Mander
To see these short videos made by THF go to: On video: prominent voices from the Geneva Forum 2014 | ICJ.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, ICJ | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Alejandra Ancheita, economic, film clips, Geneva Forum (ICJ), Gilles Badet, Harsh Mander, Hinah Jilani, Human Rights Defenders, ICJ, images, International Commission of Jurists, Jacqueline Dugard, MEA laureate 2014, meeting, Rodrigo Uprimny Yepes, Social and Cultural Rights, social economic and cultural rights, THF, video clips
October 3, 2014
“Prevention of mass atrocity crimes:Achievements, current trends and challenges” is the topic on which Adama Dieng, United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide ( former Registrar of the Rwanda Tribunal and former Secretary General of the International Commission of Jurists) will speak on Friday, 10 October 2014, from 10h30 to 11h45, in Bundesgasse 28, Room BGA 12, Bern, Switzerland.
There are only a limited number of seats available, so please book your seat by e-mail to nathan.broquet[at]eda.admin.ch before Wednesday 8 October 2014.
Posted in human rights | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Adama Dieng, Bern, genocide, ICJ, International Commission of Jurists, international crimes, lecture, mass atrocities, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, prevention, Rwanda, Switzerland, United Nations Special Adviser
May 11, 2014
For the weekend a longer read: On 22 April 2014, human rights defender Dr Yuri Melini in Guatemala discovered that intimidating text had been painted on his front gate. The text names the member of the police provided as personal security to the human rights defender since an assassination attempt was made against him. Yuri Melini is the Director of the Centro de Acción Legal, Ambiental y Social de Guatemala (CALAS) – Legal, Environmental and Social Action Centre of Guatemala. CALAS is an organisation working for the strengthening of environmental issues, community participation and respect for the collective rights of indigenous communities in relation to environmental concerns. The human rights defender was awarded the Front Line Defenders Award in 2009. The human rights defender has previously faced harassment, intimidation, defamation and an attempt on his life as a result of his human rights work, see: http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/23190 [Last year eighteen human rights defenders were assassinated, a 72-percent increase over 2012, even as the country’s general murder rate has decreased.]
To place this incident in context one should read the report by Patricia DAVIS published in Eurasia Review of 28 April 2014: “GUATEMALA: SUPPRESSING DISSENT AT HOME AND ABROAD – ANALYSIS”
After a lengthy introduction concerning the ad personam attack by Guatemalan President Molina on Tim Rieser, majority clerk on the Senate State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee (for blocking military aid), the article dives into the numerous human rights problems in the country. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Front Line, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, ICJ | Leave a Comment »
Tags: death threats, environmental issues, extrajudicial killings, Front Line (NGO), Guatemala, Human Rights Defenders, indigenous groups, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, International Commission of Jurists, intimidation, land disputes, Mining, Pérez Molina, trade unionists, Tuyuc, Yuri Melini
April 30, 2014
This radio interview [http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/program/asia-pacific/whos-protecting-aseans-human-rights-defenders/1302596] is interesting because of its content but also because it found its way on the website of Terrorism Watch. If the implication is that forced disappearances are a form of state terrorism, the case of Sombath Somphone (discussed below) puts Laos in the docket:
A regional workshop in Bangkok has highlighted issues like enforced disappearances, legal support for families of the disappeared and peaceful assembly and association. High on the agenda is also protecting rights activists, within the ASEAN regional human rights system. Presenter: Sen Lam interviews Emmerlyne Gil, international legal advisor, International Commission of Jurists, Bangkok: Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, ICJ | Leave a Comment »
Tags: ASEAN, Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, Emmerlyne Gil, Forced disappearance, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, Human Rights Defenders, ICJ, International Commission of Jurists, Laos, Sen Lam, Sombath Somphone, South-east asia, terrorism
March 21, 2014
Yesterday, 20 March 2014, there was a fierce debate in the UN Council of Human Rights where the issue of the right of NGOs to speak came up, more precisely whether accredited NGOs had the right to let speakers mention other NGOs who do not have such accreditation. In this case it was China taking exemption to the FIDH letting its member NGOs (including a pro Tibetan group) take the floor in its name. For more context see my post of yesterday: https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2014/03/20/china-in-the-un-human-rights-council-manages-to-silence-cao-shunli-as-well-as-ngos/.
The Chair and Secretariat rightly spoke of a standing practice in this regards. One such precedent is 30 years old and probably lost to most observers, so I give here my own recollection of this story in the hope that someone with access to the UN files or a better memory can confirm or correct the details.
It is 1982 and the Working group on Disappearances (created in 1980 after a long struggle and with the active support from the then Director Theo van Boven)) is reporting to the Commission on Human Rights (the predecessor of the Council). The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), of which I was the Executive Secretary at the time, has lined up to speak. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in FIDH, Human Rights Council, Human Rights Defenders, ICJ, UN | 1 Comment »
Tags: accredited NGOs, Alejandro Artucio, argentina, Cao Shunli, CELS, China, Commission on Human Rights, consultative status, Emilio Mignone, FIDH, Forced disappearance, ICJ, International Commission of Jurists, ISHR, Martinez, Niall MacDermot, right to speak in UN, the Commission, Thoolen, UN, UN Council of Human Rights, UN Human Rights Council, UPR
February 13, 2014
While most attention is focused on the demonstration in Ukraine, a recent report by the respected International Commission of Jurists [ICJ] casts light on alarming trend of disbarments and suspensions of lawyers. The report casts light on a conflict in the legal profession, which has led to apparently arbitrary disciplinary action against a significant number of lawyers. The report reveals the escalating dispute in the legal profession following the implementation of a new law, signed by the President on 5 July 2012, which significantly changed the organization of the profession and provides for the establishment of a new bar association. The law,
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in books, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, ICJ | Leave a Comment »
Tags: bar association, disciplinary, ICJ, Independence of Lawyers, International Commission of Jurists, lawyers, legal profession, Temur Shakirov, Ukraine, UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers
December 14, 2013
A number of protection mechanisms exist at the international, regional and national levels for the protection of Human Rights Defenders at risk. The Special Rapporteur at UN level is the prime example. We have been very fortunate with the first two mandate holders (Hina Jilani and Margaret Sekaggya) and it is crucial to ensure that the next Rapporteur in April 2014 will be of the same caliber. While in Geneva last week I came across Ravindran Daniel a human rights lawyer from India with whom I worked together in the International Commission of Jurists a long time ago. He told me – with his usual modesty – that he is a candidate for the post of HRD rapporteur. He may not have a big lobby machinery to support him but I think he should be seriously considered. Here a bit more about his impressive background. Please spread the word. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 2 Comments »
Tags: Amnesty International, Candidate, East Timor, Hina Jilani, Human right, human rights, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, International Commission of Jurists, Mahidol University, Margaret Sekaggya, Ravindran Daniel, UN Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, United Nations Special Rapporteur
August 22, 2013
Although the deadline for nominations (15 August) has passed, I still want to draw your attention to a new series of human rights awards instituted by Pan-African HRDs Network (PAHRD-Net), which in turn is made up of five sub-regional networks i.e. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, West Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network hosted by the International Commission of Jurists and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, and Central African Human Rights Defenders Network.
The new awards aim to honour exceptional individuals who peacefully promote and protect universally recognized rights as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Altogether six awards will be presented, one Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Award and five sub-regional awards:
– East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Award 2013
– West Africa Human Rights Defenders Award 2013
– Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Award 2013
– Central Africa Human Rights Defenders Award 2013
– Northern Africa Human Rights Defenders Award 2013
Both individuals and organizations are eligible. Awards include support to the human rights work of the winning individual or organisation with a total value of 10 000 USD for the Pan-African award winner and 5 000 USD for each sub-regional award winners. The winners will be selected by an independent jury. Nominations should be returned to: hrdaward@defenddefenders.org.
The awards will be presented to the winners at the occasion of the 54th Ordinary Session of the Africa Commission on Human and People’s Rights scheduled to be held in October 2013 in Banjul, The Gambia.
allAfrica.com: Africa: Call for Nominations – Pan African HRD Award 2013.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Africa, awards, Banjul, human rights, Human Rights and Liberties, human rights awards, Human Rights Defenders, International Commission of Jurists, Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network, protection, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 