FORMER CHADIAN LEADER TO REMAIN IN SENEGAL PENDING FINAL RULING BY UN COURT

FORMER CHADIAN LEADER TO REMAIN IN SENEGAL PENDING FINAL RULING BY UN COURT
New York, May 28 2009 2:00PM
The United Nations International Court of Justice (<"http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?p1=3&p2=2&case=144&PHPSESSID=66df0eb20403f92383dc3ea447d6af5c">ICJ) today issued an <"http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/144/15149.pdf">order leaving former Chadian president Hissène Habré in the custody of Senegal, where he is under house arrest for alleged war crimes.

Belgium lodged a request to the ICJ in February to bar Mr. Habré, who has been accused in a Senegalese court of massive human rights abuses committed by his regime during the 1990s, from leaving Senegal while his trial is pending.

It had also sought to have him extradited to face charges in Belgium, citing among other things procedural delays in Senegal's handling of the case. For its part, Senegal had asked the Court to dismiss the Belgian filing, saying its judiciary is competent to carry out the prosecution.

In its order, the ICJ found that "there does not exist, in the circumstances of the present case, any urgency to justify" Belgium's bid.

However, the Court also stressed that today's order leaves unaffected Belgium's right to pursue the case should new facts emerge.

In addition, Senegal has given assurances it would not allow Mr. Habré, who has been living in house arrest for nearly 20 years, to leave the country pending a final ICJ ruling on the matter, noted the Court, which is based in The Hague, Netherlands.

Mr. Habré ruled Chad from 1982 to 1990, when he was overthrown and went into exile in Senegal, and it is alleged that during his rule thousands of Chadians were tortured and unlawful killings and other serious human rights violations took place.

Although he was charged in February 2000 by a lower court in Senegal's capital, Dakar, an appeals court later ruled that Senegalese courts did not have the legal competence to try such cases if they were perpetrated in another country.

But then in April 2008, Senegal's National Assembly adopted an amendment to the constitution that together with previous changes allowed the country's legal system to deal with such cases.
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UN TEAM PROBING RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN GAZA CONFLICT WRAPS UP FIRST MEETING

UN TEAM PROBING RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN GAZA CONFLICT WRAPS UP FIRST MEETING
New York, May 8 2009 12:00PM
Members of the fact-finding mission set up by the United Nations Human Rights Council to probe rights violations during the recent conflict in the Gaza Strip wrapped up a week-long meeting in Geneva today.

The four-person team is led by the former prosecutor for International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, Richard Goldstone of South Africa, who stressed the law-based approach the mission will take in preparing its report to the Geneva-based Council.

"I would like to emphasise that we will focus our investigation not on political considerations, but on an objective and impartial analysis of compliance of the parties to the conflict with their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law, especially their responsibility to ensure the protection of civilians and non-combatants," he stated.

"I believe that an objective assessment of
the issues is in the interests of all parties, will promote a culture of accountability and could serve to promote greater peace and security in the region."

During their week-long session, the team held initial meetings with a broad cross-section of stakeholders, including Member States and representatives of the UN and non-governmental organizations. It also established terms of reference and a three-month programme of work.

The mission intends to conduct visits to affected areas of Southern Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, including Gaza, and has requested the cooperation of the Government of Israel in this regard, according to a news release.

The other members of the team include Christine Chinkin, Professor of International Law at the London School of Economics and Political Science at the University of London; Hina Jilani, Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and former Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Human Rights Defenders; and Colon
el (retired from the Irish Armed Forces) Desmond Travers, member of the Board of Directors of the Institute for International Criminal Investigations (IICI).

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Ex-President Convicted of Death Squad Killings

April 9th, 2009 Dear supporters, As I'm sure you have seen in recent news, the former president of Peru, Alberto Fujimori, was found guilty by the Peruvian Supreme Court on charges involving serious human rights violations. After years of evading justice, Fujimori is finally being held accountable for some of his crimes. For a decade, from 1990 to 2000, the Fujimori government used bribery, extortion, and intimidation to concentrate power in the presidency, subverting the democratic process and eliminating checks on government abuses. In the trial, Fujimori was convicted of the killings of 25 people in two massacres in 1991 and 1992, carried out by a specialized squad of military intelligence officers. Human Rights Watch Senior Researcher Maria McFarland was in the courtroom for the ruling's announcement. In 2005, Human Rights Watch released a report that documented Fujimori's abuses and presented evidence linking him to the perpetrators, helping build a case against him. We are proud that our report contributed to this important verdict. The court's ruling is important because it demonstrates the crucial role an independent national tribunal can play in addressing past human rights abuses, even against a former head of state. The landmark decision is part of a global trend of increasing accountability for former heads of state and other high-level abusers. Human Rights Watch is playing a leading role in seeing this change through, with the help of our supporters. And make no mistake – it is your support that enables us to expose the truth and apply pressure, bringing about the kind of deep rooted change that promotes global justice. Sincerely, Kenneth Roth Executive Director Peru: Fujimori Verdict a Rights Victory Q & A: Trial of Former President Alberto Fujimori of Peru Peru's former President Alberto Fujimori enters a courtroom at the Special Police Headquarters in Lima. January 23, 2008.