The ICJ, together with Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada (LRWC), delivered an oral statement to the 51st Session of the UN Human Rights Council calling on Cambodia to ensure the independence of the courts and the legal profession.
The ICJ today denounced before the UN Human Rights Council the rampant xenophobic and racial discrimination perpetrated against non-citizens in South Africa.
The ICJ called on the UN Human Rights Council today to establish a mechanism for missing and disappeared people in Syria during the dialogue with the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria.
The ICJ today called on the UN Human Rights Council to establish an independent monitoring mechanisms on Egypt and denounced several cases of extrajudicial executions in the country.
The ICJ delivered today a statement before the UN Human Rights Council during the Panel discussion on good governance in the promotion and protection of human rights during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ICJ today denounced attacks on lawyers across the world, in particular in the Russian Federation, Myanmar, Nepal, Venezuela and Turkey, in its statement during the dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.
The statement before the UN Human Rights Council reads as follows:
“Mr President,
The ICJ welcomes this timely report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, which demonstrates that lawyers are targets of attacks, harassment, and arbitrary prosecutions and disbarment worldwide.
In the Russian Federation, contrary to international law and standards on the role of lawyers, law enforcement officials routinely impede the work of lawyers attempting to represent people detained or charged in connection with anti-war protests, including by using violence.
In Myanmar, where the judiciary is subservient to the executive, lawyers and their families face daily threats of arrest, detention and harassment solely for their professional activities.
In Nepal, the police have injured the Bar Association’s executive members, including its General Secretary, when they used excessive force against lawyers protesting against the corruption in the Supreme Court, and calling for an investigation of the Chief Justice. Similar violations occur in Venezuela.
In Turkey, legislative reforms have been introduced undermining the independence of the legal profession. Moreover, prominent human rights lawyers are subject to arbitrary prosecutions, including Cihan Aydin and Öztürk Türkdoğan.
The ICJ calls on this Council and all its Special Procedure to pay particular attention to attacks on lawyers whose work is essential for access justice and effective remedies to protect everyone’s human rights.
I thank you.”
Contact:
Massimo Frigo, ICJ UN Representative, e: massimo.frigo(a)icj.org, t: +41797499949
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