Today, elections will be held in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in Egypt. In both countries, rights groups have warned of restrictions on freedom of assembly and expression, as well as violence. [HRW; Washington Post; MONUSCO] This week, States will convene for the Durban Climate Change Conference, with the UN urging countries to finally come to an agreement on
Read moreCategory: transitional justice
Khmer Rouge Tribunal Trial Underway in Case 002
This week, the Trial Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), commonly referred to as the “Khmer Rouge tribunal” began hearing opening statements by the prosecution in Case 002, in which Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Ieng Thirith and Khieu Samphan are accused of crimes against humanity, grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions, and genocide in connection with
Read moreUruguay: Moving closer toward accountability?
Lisl Brunner contributes this post on recent developments in Uruguay’s compliance with the Gelman v. Uruguay judgment of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, in follow-up to her article, Is Uruguay Foundering on the Path to Accountability?: The Aftermath of the Gelman decision of the Inter-American Court, published this summer in the American Society of International Law newsletter Accountability. ___________________________ by Lisl Brunner Uruguay has
Read moreNew Special Rapporteurs on Truth, Justice and Reconciliation & Promotion of Democratic International Order
The UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution (A/HRC/18/L.22) creating a new Special Rapporteurship on Truth, Justice and Reparation. [OHCHR] The three-year mandate holder will be charged with “gathering relevant information on national situations relating to the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence in addressing gross violations of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law,
Read moreDR Congo Needs Stronger Judiciary to Fight Impunity for Int'l Crimes, Amnesty Reports
A report published by Amnesty International last week asserts that the Democratic Republic of Congo must strengthen its judicial system in order to ensure adherence to due process, hold perpetrators accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and offer justice and reparation to victims. The Time for Justice is Now: New Strategy Needed in the Democratic Republic of the
Read moreNews Clips – October 15, 2010
The loss of leading international human rights scholar Louis Henkin is mourned, while the legal community remembers his long career dedicated to the development of international law and the protection of human rights. [Human Rights First] Moldova has ratified the Rome Statute to become the newest State Party to the International Criminal Court, bringing the total to 114. [UN] Canadian
Read moreNews Clips – June 1, 2010
Protocol 14 to the European Convention on Human Rights enters into force today, introducing a number of changes to decrease the Court’s backlog, strengthen enforcement in order to reduce repetitive applications, concentrate its efforts on cases where applicants have suffered a “significant disadvantage”, and allow the European Commissioner for Human Rights to intervene as a third party [ECHR] Amnesty International
Read moreOHCHR Establishes Guinea Office
The United Nations announced today that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights will open an office in the Guinean capital of Conakry in order to “assist the Government in reporting on compliance with international human rights treaties. It will also advise on establishing a National Human Rights Institution and on judicial reforms, help combat impunity for human rights
Read moreHonduras Inaugurates Truth Commission to Investigate Coup
Yesterday, Honduran President Porfirio Lobo inaugurated the previously-announced Truth Commission to investigate the events surrounding last June’s military coup which removed from power President Manuel Zelaya, who is currently exiled in the Dominican Republic. (Read Honduran government press releases here and here.) The establishment of such a commission was a condition of Zelaya’s exit from the national stage and a
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