France Presses Sri Lanka to End Emergency Laws
Ambassador for Human Rights of France, Francois Zimeray, was in Sri Lanka on Saturday to ask the country to end its state of emergency and investigate alleged war crimes. His request came ahead of a key EU ruling on trade concessions to the country. Read more
ICJ: Human Rights Council urged to protect judges and lawyers in times of crises
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) urged the UN Human Rights Council as it opened its 12th session in Geneva on 14 September 2009 to establish a new expert mandate to improve protection of human rights of individuals in armed conflicts and generally in any crisis situations. The ICJ requested the Council to harness protection of judges and lawyers from violence and intimidation inflicted on them for their professional functions. It also sought accountability for human rights violations and international crimes committed by the Israeli Army, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups during the recent war in Gaza. Read more
