International Justice Resource Center

December 2017: United Nations and Regional Human Rights Bodies in Session

November 28, 2017 IJRC assembly and association, civil society, corporate accountability, crime & impunity, discrimination, due process & judicial protection, economic, social & cultural rights, European System, extrajudicial executions, immigration & asylum, Inter-American System, international human rights, labor rights, liberty & security of person, migrants, monthly overview, regional human rights protection, right to life, thought, expression & association, torture, UN Special Procedures, UN treaty bodies, Universal system

In December, several universal and regional human rights bodies and experts will assess States’ compliance with their human rights obligations through the consideration of State reports, country visits, and thematic and contentious hearings. Two United Nations treaty bodies will continue their sessions that began in November on issues concerning racial discrimination and torture. Ten United Nations special procedures mandate holders

After Contested Election, UK Withdraws ICJ Candidate

November 21, 2017 IJRC International Court of Justice, UN General Assembly, UN Security Council, Universal system

The United Kingdom announced yesterday its withdrawal of its candidate for a spot on the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, allowing Judge Dalveer Bhandari of India to be elected as the sole candidate. [UN News Centre] After ten rounds of voting, another round was due to take place yesterday but was canceled following

UN Committee Considers State Officials’ Immunity for Grave International Crimes

November 15, 2017 IJRC crime & impunity, international criminal law, Universal system

The Sixth Committee – an intergovernmental committee that considers legal questions in the United Nations General Assembly – finished late last month its consideration of a draft article that asserts State officials do not have immunity from the prosecution of crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, crimes of apartheid, torture, and enforced disappearance in a foreign criminal jurisdiction; the

OAS Examines Situation in Venezuela for Possible Crimes Against Humanity

November 7, 2017 IJRC assembly and association, civil society, crime & impunity, democracy & political rights, due process & judicial protection, economic, social & cultural rights, extrajudicial executions, international criminal law, liberty & security of person, right to life, thought, expression & association, torture

In the last two months, the Organization of American States (OAS) held unprecedented hearings to gather witness testimony on the situation in Venezuela to determine whether to refer the State to the International Criminal Court (ICC). [OAS Press Release: First Session; OAS Press Release: Second Session] In the sessions of hearings held so far, the OAS has heard testimony from

November 2017: UN Treaty Bodies, UPR, and Regional Bodies in Session

October 30, 2017 IJRC African System, civil society, discrimination, economic, social & cultural rights, European System, IJRC Updates, Inter-American System, international human rights, monthly overview, regional human rights protection, thought, expression & association, UN Special Procedures, UN treaty bodies, Universal Periodic Review, Universal system, women's rights

In November, several universal and regional bodies will assess States’ compliance with their human rights obligations, through the consideration of State and civil society reports, country visits, dialogues, and hearings on individual complaints. Six United Nations treaty bodies will be holding sessions in the month of November on issues related to civil and political rights, women, racial discrimination, and torture.

IJRC to Host Training for Advocates Attending African Commission Session

October 25, 2017 IJRC African System, IJRC Updates, international human rights, regional human rights protection, Universal system

The International Justice Resource Center (IJRC) in collaboration with the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA) and the Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA) will hold a training from 09:00 to 10:30 on October 30, 2017 at the Kairaba Hotel in Banjul, The Gambia, ahead of the 61st Ordinary Session of the African Commission of Human

ECtHR Finds Forced Disclosure of Known Journalistic Source Violates Rights

October 17, 2017 IJRC European System, international human rights, regional human rights protection, thought, expression & association

On October 5, 2017, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) unanimously ruled that Norway violated a journalist’s rights under Article 10 (right to freedom of expression) of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) because the Supreme Court of Norway imposed a fine on her for refusal to testify on her source, who had already made himself known. See

OHCHR Publishes Guidelines for Businesses to Respect, Protect LGBTI Rights

October 11, 2017 IJRC corporate accountability, discrimination, international human rights, LGBTI rights, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Universal system

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recently announced the publication of the Standards of Conduct for Business to fight discrimination against lesbian, gay, bi, trans, and intersex (LGBTI) persons. [OHCHR Press Release] The Standards of Conduct for Business build upon the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the UN Global Compact –

CRPD Finds Violence Based on Albinism Discriminatory

October 3, 2017 IJRC discrimination, international human rights, persons with disabilities, torture, UN treaty bodies, Universal system

In a recent opinion, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) held that Tanzania’s failure to protect an individual with albinism from violence and discrimination constitutes a violation of the country’s obligations under the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (ICRPD). [OHCHR Press Release] See Committee on the Rights of Persons with