International Justice Resource Center

Committee on Enforced Disappearances Reviews Iraq and Montenegro

September 15, 2015 IJRC armed conflict, children, civil society, crime & impunity, democracy & political rights, discrimination, enforced disappearance, family, freedom of religion, ICTY, immigration & asylum, International Criminal Court, international human rights, international humanitarian law, liberty & security of person, persons with disabilities, privacy, reparations, right to life, transitional justice, UN treaty bodies

The United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) is currently holding its 9th session in Geneva, Switzerland from September 7th to 18th. The CED is reviewing State reports of Iraq and Montenegro regarding their implementation of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (Convention). During the session, the CED and each State engage in dialogue

CEDAW Committee Issues Key General Recommendation on Women’s Access to Justice

September 10, 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, international human rights, judicial independence, liberty & security of person, persons with disabilities, privacy, property, reparations, transitional justice, UN treaty bodies, women's rights

On July 23, 2015, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW Committee) adopted a general recommendation on women’s access to justice, noting that the right of access to justice for women is essential to the realization of all the rights in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). See Committee

Migration Crisis: Recent Developments, Human Rights Standards, and European Court Decision

September 4, 2015 IJRC armed conflict, children, civil society, conditions of detention, democracy & political rights, discrimination, due process & judicial protection, economic, social & cultural rights, European System, family, immigration & asylum, international human rights, international humanitarian law, liberty & security of person, torture, UN Special Procedures, UN treaty bodies

Political upheaval and human rights violations in parts of Africa and the Middle East, particularly in Eritrea, Kosovo, and Syria, are increasing migration flows to Europe at an unprecedented rate. While the European Union (EU) received approximately 626,000 applications for asylum in 2014, Germany alone is expected to receive 800,000 applications this year. [Financial Times: Germany] Europe has not yet

Inter-American Court of Human Rights Holds 53^rd Extraordinary Session

September 1, 2015 IJRC children, civil society, crime & impunity, discrimination, due process & judicial protection, family, human rights defenders, indigenous communities, Inter-American System, interim measures, international human rights, liberty & security of person, property, reparations, right to life, security & rule of law

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) held its 53rd Extraordinary Session in Honduras, which began on August 24 and concluded on August 29, 2015. During this session the Court held public hearings in two cases: Quispialaya Vilcapoma v. Peru and Ángel Alberto Duque v. Colombia. The Court also held a private hearing concerning compliance on the part of Honduras with sentences

IJRC Newsletter: August 2015

August 28, 2015 IJRC African System, European System, IJRC Newsletter, IJRC Updates, Inter-American System, international criminal law, international human rights, international humanitarian law, UN Human Rights Council, UN Special Procedures, UN treaty bodies, Universal Periodic Review, Universal system

African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Developing Right to Life General Comment

August 27, 2015 IJRC African System, armed conflict, civil society, conditions of detention, crime & impunity, death penalty, democracy & political rights, economic, social & cultural rights, enforced disappearance, extrajudicial executions, international human rights, international humanitarian law, judicial independence, liberty & security of person, reparations, right to life

In June 2015, the Working Group on Death Penalty and Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Killings (Working Group) of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) met in Kigali, Rwanda to develop a General Comment on Article 4 (right to life) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, also known as the Banjul Charter (Charter). This meeting

Kosovo to Create Special War Crimes Court but Faces Challenges

August 25, 2015 IJRC armed conflict, democracy & political rights, discrimination, due process & judicial protection, ICTY, International Criminal Court, international human rights, international humanitarian law, internationalized criminal tribunals, military and humanitarian intervention, right to life, security & rule of law, transitional justice

On August 3, 2015 the Kosovo Parliament passed the “Law on Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor’s Office,” a constitutional amendment that will establish a special war crimes court to prosecute former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) guerrillas for crimes committed during and after the Kosovo War between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2000. The court will operate under Kosovo law

UN Committee Reviews Disability Records of 6 States and European Union

August 19, 2015 IJRC children, civil society, democracy & political rights, discrimination, due process & judicial protection, economic, social & cultural rights, family, indigenous communities, international human rights, labor rights, LGBTI rights, liberty & security of person, persons with disabilities, reproductive and sexual rights, UN treaty bodies, women's rights

On August 17, 2015 the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) commenced its 14th session in Geneva, Switzerland. During this session, which will end on September 4, the Committee will review the reports of Brazil, the European Union, Gabon, Kenya, Mauritius, Qatar, and Ukraine and adopt concluding observations. The Committee will also review reports submitted by

IACHR Report Highlights Human Rights Violations at Guantanamo and Urges Closure

August 17, 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, international human rights, international humanitarian law, liberty & security of person, privacy, regional human rights protection, reparations, right to life, security & rule of law, UN Special Procedures, UN treaty bodies

On August 5, 2015, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) published its report “Towards the Closure of Guantanamo,” which examines the human rights situation of detainees at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. See Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Towards the Closure of Guantanamo (Report), 2015. The report concludes that detainees are subject to indefinite detention; torture and

Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Reviews 8 States’ Records

August 12, 2015 IJRC children, civil society, discrimination, economic, social & cultural rights, family, freedom of religion, human rights defenders, immigration & asylum, indigenous communities, Inter-American System, international human rights, property, reparations, security & rule of law, thought, expression & association, UN Human Rights Council, UN treaty bodies, women's rights

On August 3, 2015 the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) commenced its 87th session in Geneva, Switzerland. During this session, which will end on August 28, the Committee will review the State reports of Colombia, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Niger, Norway, and Suriname. The Committee will also review reports submitted by civil