A new report from the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights details rights abuses against migrants held in detention in Libya. Published on December 13, 2016, “Detained and dehumanized”: Report on Human Rights Abuses Against Migrants in Libya, summarizes information gathered from migrants held in detention centers that are mostly run
Read moreCategory: international human rights
News Clips- December 16, 2016
Civil Society Canada issued guidelines this week on supporting human rights defenders. [ISHR] Two UN Special Rapporteurs noted this week that the human rights defenders in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are frequently arbitrarily arrested and detained. [OHCHR Press Release] Protesters at a film festival in south India were arrested this week after refusing to stand for the national anthem. [Guardian]
Read moreExperts Convene for Symposium on Torture Victims’ Right to Rehabilitation
The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) held a symposium in Mexico City last week entitled Delivering on the Promise of the Right to Rehabilitation that brought together over 300 people, including clinical professionals, lawyers, researchers, and policymakers, from around the world to discuss rehabilitation of torture survivors. [IRCT Press Release] The IRCT is a membership-based organization consisting of
Read moreNews Clips- December 9, 2016
Civil Society This week, seven Tibetans in China were given prison sentences that ranged from five to 14 years. [HKFP] Egyptian authorities arrested a prominent human rights activist, Azza Soliman. [AI] Harsh winter weather forced demonstrators to temporarily evacuate the protest site at Standing Rock where they have been protesting the construction of a pipeline. [Washington Post] A Human Rights
Read moreAfrican Court: Côte d’Ivoire’s Partisan Electoral Body Violated International Norms
The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) has issued a new judgment, holding that Côte d’Ivoire violated various human rights obligations in establishing a partisan election monitoring body ahead of the 2015 national elections, the first held since Alassane Ouattara succeeded Laurent Gbagbo in the presidency following an end to the country’s civil war. See AfCHPR, Actions Pour
Read moreUN Experts Warn Against Egypt’s Suppression of Civil Society
United Nations human rights experts have recently denounced the suppression of the work of human rights defenders and civil society organizations in Egypt through the use of travel bans and restrictions on foreign funding for non-governmental organizations. In the last year, UN experts warn, Egypt has prevented human rights defenders from leaving the country and drafted a bill to limit
Read moreNews Clips- December 2, 2016
Civil Society Reports indicate that Facebook has developed a censorship software to use in the Chinese market. [Guardian] The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders denounced the numerous travel bans imposed on human rights activists in Egypt. [OHCHR Press Release] Ahead of elections in Gambia that took place on Thursday, President Jammeh banned international phone calls,
Read moreNew Resource: Manual on the African Human Rights System
The International Justice Resource Center is thrilled to announce the launch of our latest publication, Advocacy before the African Human Rights System: A Manual for Attorneys and Advocates. This manual, which is part of our publication series Preventing and Remedying Human Rights Violations through the International Framework, is the result of several years’ work and benefits from the research and review
Read moreDecember 2016: United Nations and Regional Human Rights Bodies in Session
In the month of December, various universal and regional bodies will be in session. Three United Nations treaty bodies will meet to engage with States regarding their treaty obligations related to torture, racial discrimination, and enforced disappearances. Seven UN special rapporteurs and one working group will conduct country visits, and three working groups will meet in Geneva, Switzerland to discuss
Read moreTurkey’s Seizure of LGBT Magazine Issue Violated European Convention
On November 22, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) held that Turkey’s seizure of all copies of a particular issue of a gay and lesbian non-governmental group’s magazine that contained sexually explicit images amounted to a violation of the right to freedom of expression. See ECtHR, Kaos GL v. Turkey, no. 4982/07, Judgement of 22 November 2016, para. 63 (French
Read more