Today, the ICJ made an intervention during a debate on the outcome of the Universal Periodic Review of Lebanon before the UN Human Rights Council.
The full statement reads as follows:
“Madam President,
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) welcomes Lebanon’s acceptance of recommendations by United States (150.134); France (150.136); Latvia (150.138); Norway (150.143); State of Palestine (150.148); Switzerland (150.149) on certain measures necessary to strengthen the judiciary’ independence, and calls on the authorities to fully implement them forthwith.
However, while noting Lebanon’s stated commitment to implementing recommendations by France (150.136); Germany (150.137); Slovakia (150.147) aimed at ensuring that the Beirut port blast be investigated, including by holding those responsible accountable, the ICJ is concerned about recent attacks against certain investigative authorities, including through their removal from their oversight role over the investigation into the blast, and about high-level criminal negligence and corruption cases.
Along with other organizations, the ICJ reiterates its call to the HRC to establish an independent and impartial investigative mechanism to probe the port blast.
The ICJ is particularly concerned that Lebanon only partially accepted or noted recommendations by Ireland (150.125); United States (150.133) aimed at ending the military courts’ jurisdiction over civilians. The ICJ and Lebanese NGOs have documented the military’s role in the recent arrest, detention and referral for military court prosecution of dozens of civilians arising from anti-government protests in Tripoli. These practices must end.
The ICJ welcomes Lebanon’s acceptance of recommendations by Netherlands (150.105); Norway (150.106), United Kingdom (150.261); Belgium (150.262); Canada (150.263); Angola (150.264); Indonesia (150.267); Kuwait (150.268); Luxembourg (150.269); Mexico (150.270); Nepal (150.271); New Zealand (150.272); Sri Lanka (150.273); State of Palestine (150.274); Bangladesh (150.275, 150.276); Togo (150.279) on promoting the protection of migrant workers’ and refugees’ human rights, including upholding the non-refoulement principle. The ICJ urges Lebanon to become a party to the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families and the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees forthwith, as recommended by Honduras, Senegal (150.6); Philippines (150.7); Argentina (150.10); Togo (150.13); Holy See (150.29).
While the ICJ welcomes Lebanon’s commitment to implementing recommendations by Turkey (150.230) on reforming domestic violence legislation, it regrets that Lebanon only partially accepted or noted recommendations by Latvia (150.222); Mexico (150.223); Belgium (150.232); Australia (150.289) on explicitly criminalizing all gender-based violence, on enacting a unified personal status law, and on amending the nationality law to afford women the same rights as men.
I thank you.”
Contact:
Massimo Frigo, ICJ UN Representative, e: massimo.frigo(a)icj.org, t: +41797499949