The ICJ today addressed the HR Council on the need to ensure that the Code of Conduct for the Special Procedures is never read so restrictively that it would frustrate the effective functioning of the Special Procedures.
In a general debate under Item 5 (human rights bodies and mechanisms), the ICJ articulated why urgent appeals are permitted in the case of the imminent enactment of legislation in respect of which there is a real risk that damage of a very grave nature would result.
The statement was delivered during the Human Rights Council’s 23rd regular session (27 May to 14 June 2013).
HRC23-OralStatementItem5-LegalSubmission-2013 (download full oral statement in PDF)