civil society – Page 18 – International Justice Resource Center

UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Opinion and Expression: 2014 Annual Report

June 8, 2015 IJRC civil society, corporate accountability, crime & impunity, democracy & political rights, discrimination, due process & judicial protection, economic, social & cultural rights, human rights defenders, international human rights, privacy, thought, expression & association, UN Human Rights Council, UN Special Procedures

On May 22, 2015, David Kaye, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression (Special Rapporteur), submitted his annual report to the Human Rights Council. His report evaluates whether the rights to privacy and freedom of opinion and expression protect secure online communication by methods including encryption and anonymity. Secondly, his

Mandela Rules Adopted: Landmark Revisions Made to UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners

June 3, 2015 IJRC children, civil society, crime & impunity, discrimination, due process & judicial protection, international human rights, liberty & security of person, persons with disabilities, privacy, progressive development of law, UN Economic and Social Council, UN General Assembly

On May 22, 2015, the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) gathered in Vienna and adopted the Mandela Rules, which are revisions to the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (SMR), the leading international principles on the treatment of prisoners, which had not been updated since they were drafted in 1955. The Mandela Rules honor

CERD Rules that Korea’s Mandatory HIV/AIDS Testing for Foreign Employees Violates the Convention

June 1, 2015 IJRC civil society, discrimination, immigration & asylum, international human rights, labor rights, privacy, reparations, UN treaty bodies

On May 1, 2015, in L.G. v. Republic of Korea, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) ruled that mandatory HIV/AIDS and drug testing for foreign English teachers violated articles 2, 5, and 6 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). [UN News Center Press Release]. See Committee on the Elimination

IACHR Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression Issues 2014 Annual Report

May 27, 2015 IJRC armed conflict, children, civil society, crime & impunity, democracy & political rights, discrimination, due process & judicial protection, economic, social & cultural rights, family, freedom of religion, human rights defenders, immigration & asylum, indigenous communities, Inter-American System, international human rights, international humanitarian law, LGBTI rights, liberty & security of person, military and humanitarian intervention, persons with disabilities, privacy, progressive development of law, reparations, reproductive and sexual rights, right to life, security & rule of law, thought, expression & association, women's rights

On May 7, 2015, the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) presented its 2014 Annual Report, evaluating the state of freedom of expression in the Americas, to the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs of the Organization of American States (OAS). [IACHR Press Release] See also Executive Summary of

Central African Republic Votes to Create New Hybrid Tribunal

May 21, 2015 IJRC armed conflict, civil society, crime & impunity, due process & judicial protection, International Criminal Court, international human rights, international humanitarian law, internationalized criminal tribunals, UN Security Council

On April 22, 2015, the Central African Republic’s transitional parliament voted to adopt a law to create a Special Criminal Court to investigate and prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity that have been committed in the Central African Republic since 2003. In order for the Special Criminal Court to now be established, its acting president, Catherine Samba-Panza, must enact

14 States’ Human Rights Records Examined in Universal Periodic Review

May 14, 2015 IJRC armed conflict, children, civil society, crime & impunity, democracy & political rights, discrimination, domestic courts, due process & judicial protection, economic, social & cultural rights, family, freedom of religion, human rights defenders, immigration & asylum, indigenous communities, interim measures, international human rights, international humanitarian law, judicial independence, labor rights, LGBTI rights, liberty & security of person, military and humanitarian intervention, persons with disabilities, privacy, progressive development of law, property, reparations, reproductive and sexual rights, right to life, security & rule of law, thought, expression & association, transitional justice, Universal Periodic Review, women's rights

The Human Rights Council is close to concluding its 22nd Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group which began on May 4 and will conclude on May 15, 2015 to examine 14 States’ human rights records. [OHCHR Press Release] During these Working Group discussions, UN Member States are reviewing the human rights practices of Belarus, Liberia, Malawi, Mongolia,

UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Adopts Key Guidelines

May 7, 2015 IJRC civil society, democracy & political rights, discrimination, due process & judicial protection, international human rights, liberty & security of person, UN Human Rights Council

During its 72nd regular session in Geneva, which was held from April 20th through 29th, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention [hereinafter Working Group] adopted the final text of its draft “Basic Principles and Guidelines on Remedies and Procedures on the Right of Anyone Deprived of Their Liberty to Bring Proceedings Before a Court.” [OHCHR: Working Group] See

ECtHR: Armenia Violates NGO’s Freedom of Assembly in Prohibiting Commemorative March

May 5, 2015 IJRC civil society, democracy & political rights, European System, international human rights

On March 31, 2015 the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) released its judgment in Helsinki Committee of Armenia v. Armenia, concerning the State’s denial of a non-governmental human rights organization’s (NGO) application to hold an event dedicated to mourning the death of a murder investigation witness at the police station. See ECtHR, Helsinki Committee of Armenia v. Armenia, no.

Committee against Torture Reviews 8 States’ Records

April 29, 2015 IJRC civil society, crime & impunity, discrimination, due process & judicial protection, family, human rights defenders, ICTY, immigration & asylum, indigenous communities, international human rights, judicial independence, LGBTI rights, liberty & security of person, right to life, thought, expression & association, UN treaty bodies, women's rights

The Committee against Torture (CAT) is currently holding its 54th session in Geneva which began on April 20 and will continue through May 15. According to the agenda, CAT is considering the State reports of Colombia, the Republic of Congo, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Romania, Serbia, Spain, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on their implementation of the Convention against

Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Reviews 6 States’ Records

April 27, 2015 IJRC civil society, crime & impunity, democracy & political rights, discrimination, due process & judicial protection, economic, social & cultural rights, immigration & asylum, indigenous communities, international human rights, UN treaty bodies

This week, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) will commence its 86th session in Geneva, Switzerland. The session will take place from April 27 to May 15, during which time CERD will review the State reports of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, France, Germany, Guatemala, and Sudan. The Committee will also review reports submitted by civil society