FIJI: Jurists welcome dismissal of charges against leading human rights lawyer

10 August 2010. The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF) in a joint statement welcome the permanent stay of all charges against leading human rights advocate and ICJ Commissioner, Imrana Jalal. Presiding Justice Priyantha Fernando dismissed the charges, related to the licensing of a restaurant she operated, as improperly formulated and legally unfounded.

Read the press release
Read the statement

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Happy Anniversary!
50 years of independence for the Democratic Republic of Congo

This confetti, destined to help you celebrate a very happy anniversary, 50 years of independence for the Democratic Republic of Congo, is not just any confetti. It comes from the hole punching of documents from court cases that resulted in outcomes based on legal rights and respect for democracy. These cases were able to be filed thanks to the support of Avocats Sans Frontières, which aims to promote the independent achievement of a more just, fair and inclusive society, in which law and justice is made available to the most vulnerable individuals. To give a voice to this defence and to know more about the actions of Avocats Sans Frontières in DRC, click here.

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ASF and the International Criminal Court Review Conference

From 31 May to 11 June 2010, Kampala hosted the International Criminal Court Review Conference. In attendance were delegates of State Parties to the Rome Statute, non-State parties, members of the UN and International Criminal Court (ICC) Secretariat and members of civil society.

ASF played an active role throughout conference. The conference was attended by a number of the ASF’s team. On 1 June, ASF in collaboration with the Uganda Law Society, held a breakfast training seminar (check the programme and the minutes) for Ugandan lawyers and members of the international community on the topic of complementarity.

ASF had the privilege of being invited to speak on five panels. The first two panels were civil society stocking panels organised by the Coalition for the ICC one focusing on victims and affected communities and the other complementarity. The other panels were organized by State Parties and civil society including a stocktaking panel hosted by South Africa and Denmark on complementarity; FIDH’s panel on ensuring victims’ participation; and a seminar on joint role of international and national courts in prosecuting serious crimes and providing reparations to victims: the African experience, organized by Domac, Denmark, South Africa and Redress.

ASF also staffed a booth in the People’s Space throughout the conference from which it distributed brochures on ASF’s activities in Uganda and internationally, ASF’s annual report and ASF’s case study, “The Application of the Rome Statute in the DRC” to those interested. Through this forum ASF was able to interact with many of the delegates at the conference.

The ICC Review Conference provided an opportunity for all of its participants to engage in discourse regarding the functioning of the ICC in order to move the court forward and presented an excellent forum for members of civil society to interact with State Parties in order to strengthen and create new opportunities for future cooperation.

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