Latest news with #UniversalDeclarationofHumanRights
Scoop
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
World Court Says Countries Are Legally Obligated To Curb Emissions, Protect Climate
The UN's principal judicial body ruled that States have an obligation to protect the environment from greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and act with due diligence and cooperation to fulfill this obligation. This includes the obligation under the Paris Agreement on climate change to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The Court further ruled that if States breach these obligations, they incur legal responsibility and may be required to cease the wrongful conduct, offer guarantees of non-repetition and make full reparation depending on the circumstances. 'A victory for our planet' UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a video message welcoming the historic decision, which came a day after he delivered a special address to Member States on the unstoppable global shift to renewable energy. "This is a victory for our planet, for climate justice and for the power of young people to make a difference," he said. Reasoning of the Court The Court used Member States' commitments to both environmental and human rights treaties to justify this decision. Firstly, Member States are parties to a variety of environmental treaties, including ozone layer treaties, the Biodiversity Convention, the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement and many more, which oblige them to protect the environment for people worldwide and in future generations. But, also because 'a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a precondition for the enjoyment of many human rights,' since Member States are parties to numerous human rights treaties, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, they are required to guarantee the enjoyment of such rights by addressing climate change. Case background In September 2021, the Pacific Island State of Vanuatu announced that it would seek an advisory opinion from the Court on climate change. This initiative was inspired by the youth group Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change, which underscored the need to act to address climate change, particularly in small island States. After the country lobbied other UN Member States to support this initiative in the General Assembly, on 29 March 2023, it adopted a resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the ICJ on two questions: (1) What are the obligations of States under international law to ensure the protection of the environment? and (2) What are the legal consequences for States under these obligations when they cause harm to the environment? The UN Charter allows the General Assembly or the Security Council to request the ICJ to provide an advisory opinion. Even though advisory opinions are not binding, they carry significant legal and moral authority and help clarify and develop international law by defining States' legal obligations. This is the largest case ever seen by the ICJ, evident by the number of written statements (91) and States that participated in oral proceedings (97). The 'World Court' The ICJ, informally known as the 'World Court', settles legal disputes between UN Member States and gives advisory opinions on legal questions that have been referred to it by UN organs and agencies. It is one of the six main organs of the UN alongside the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Trusteeship Council and the Secretariat and is the only one not based in New York.
Business Recorder
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
‘Political repression' in Pakistan: PTI's Zulfi Bukhari to testify before US Congress body
KARACHI: PTI leader Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, a former aide to ex-premier Imran Khan, is set to offer testimony on 'political repression' in Pakistan before the United States Congress' Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, it emerged on Monday. According to its website, the bipartisan commission was established in 2008 and is charged with promoting, defending and advocating for international human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant human rights instruments. The commission's hearing notice states that the session will take place on Tuesday (tomorrow) at 3:30pm (12:30am PKT on Wednesday) and will 'examine the government of Pakistan's persecution of opposition political figures and journalists, and its actions to control media communications and prevent free and fair elections in Pakistan'. The session is open to the public and the media. 'Many date the current phase of repression in Pakistan to 2022, when, with the involvement of the military, popular Prime Minister Imran Khan was ousted, and soon after, arrested, convicted of corruption and imprisoned,' the notice read. 'Parliamentary elections in February 2024 were, according to the US State Department, marked by 'undue restrictions on freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly', as well as 'electoral violence, and restrictions on the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms',' it added. The commission provided a list of witnesses who would provide testimony during Tuesday's hearing. Besides Bukhari, the list includes Amnesty International's Advocacy Director for Europe and Central Asia, Ben Linden; Perseus Strategies Managing Director Jared Genser; and Afghanistan Impact Network founder Sadiq Amini. A press release from the commission's co-chairman, Republican Congressman Christopher Smith, who will chair the session, said the meeting would 'discuss the government of Pakistan's ongoing political repression, the US response, and offer recommendations for Congress'. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
US Congress panel to hold hearing on 'political repression in Pakistan'
The US Capitol Dome is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington January 14, 2010. PHOTO: REUTERS Listen to article The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the US Congress will hold a hearing to examine the 'ongoing repression of political opposition' in Pakistan, according to an announcement posted on the Commission's official website. The hearing, scheduled to be held in person and streamed online, will focus on actions by the Pakistani government that allegedly restrict political freedoms, including the treatment of opposition political figures, suppression of independent journalism, and controls over media and communication. Hearing Notice -- Pakistan: Ongoing Political Repression Date: Tuesday, July 15th, 2025 Time: 2:00 - 4:00 PM Location: Rayburn 2255 Details: — Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (@TLHumanRights) July 9, 2025 The Commission stated that it will assess the implications of these actions for democracy and human rights in Pakistan. It is tasked with promoting, defending, and advocating for international human rights as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other key human rights frameworks. According to the announcement, many observers trace the current phase of repression to 2022, when then-prime minister Imran Khan was removed from office, later convicted of corruption, and imprisoned. The US State Department's 2023 Country Report on Human Rights Practices highlights several human rights concerns in Pakistan, including enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings, the persecution of religious and ethnic minorities, and transnational repression. The Commission noted that Pakistan's general elections in February 2024 were marked by 'undue restrictions on freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly,' as well as incidents of electoral violence and interference with fundamental rights, as outlined in a statement by the US State Department. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to testify on the state of #HumanRights in #Pakistan before the @TLHumanRights Commission in the #US #Congress. I will be highlighting the arbitrary detention of Imran Khan, his wife, and other political prisoners, as well as the erosion… — Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) July 9, 2025 Witnesses scheduled to testify include Ben Linden of Amnesty International, human rights lawyer Jared Genser, Sadiq Amini of the Afghanistan Impact Network, and Zulfikar Bukhari, an advisor to Imran Khan. The hearing is open to Members of Congress, staff, the public, and media. It will be streamed live on the Commission's website and on the House digital channel.
New Indian Express
12-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
SHRC demands action as custodial violence cases highlight need for reform
The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on June 24, 2025, directed the TN government to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 to V Priyadharshini, a complainant, and recover it from K Santhamoorthi for violating her human rights when he was the Inspector of C2 Race Course police station in Coimbatore. The order passed by SHRC member V Kannadasan, which directed the government to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Santhamoorthi, quoted Section 58 of the Police Act, 2006, on the social responsibilities of the police. Priyadharshini had approached the police with a complaint against her father and brother of criminal intimidation and use of filthy language. Instead of conducting an impartial inquiry, the Inspector sided with the accused and intimidated her. The mandate of the police is to protect and uphold the dignity of people. Article 14 of our Constitution ensures every person the right of equality before the law and equal protection of the laws. India is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognises right to life, liberty and security of everyone and says, 'No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment'. The Supreme Court and the various high courts have repeatedly issued guidelines to the police on how to treat people humanely. Yet, we read and, now with the visual media, see how brutal the police force is in its day-to-day duties.
The Star
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
AICHR aims for historic adoption of two human rights declarations under Malaysia's leadership
KUALA LUMPUR: The Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) is aiming for a landmark achievement this year: the adoption of two major declarations on human rights under Malaysia's chairmanship. Malaysia's Representative to AICHR, Edmund Bon Tai Soon, said one focuses on climate change, while the other centres on the right to development and peace. 'If we are able to do it this year, it would be the first time in 13 years that Asean adopts two human rights declarations in a single year,' he told reporters after the Interface Between Asean Foreign Ministers and AICHR Representatives here on Tuesday (July 8). The proposals, which have been in negotiation for years, are expected to be tabled for adoption at the Asean Summit this October, he said. If adopted, Bon said they would mark Asean's first new human rights declaration since the 2012 Asean Human Rights Declaration, also spearheaded during Malaysia's chairmanship. The first was the Asean Declaration on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment, proposed in response to growing regional threats from climate change and displacement. 'Climate change in our region is very serious. There are a lot of displaced persons, a lot of climate refugees. 'This declaration, which Malaysia is leading, has received strong support. 'If adopted, it will give people in Asean a basis to claim their environmental rights,' he said. Bon explained that the draft includes core principles such as public participation in environmental decisions, access to justice for pollution victims and the right to freedom of information. 'It's not just about environmental protection. It's about embedding human rights into how we govern environmental issues,' he added. The second proposed declaration centres on the right to development and the right to peace, promoting inclusive and sustainable development that encompasses political, economic, social and cultural dimensions. Bon said the right to development was a unique Asean contribution to human rights, as it is not explicitly featured in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 'This right is already in the Asean Human Rights Declaration, but now we're expanding it into a full declaration. 'This will be for everyone in Asean, not just about economic growth, but about inclusive and people-centred development,' he said. Alongside the two declarations, AICHR was also calling for the establishment of a structured framework - or 'template' - for Asean's collective response to internal and regional conflicts, such as the protracted crisis in Myanmar. 'At the moment, Asean's responses to conflicts are very ad hoc. What we need is an institutionalised approach - a common Asean framework that guides how we respond when there's a crisis or hotspot,' said Bon. He said AICHR has begun a series of workshops to develop this mechanism, which would serve as a go-to guide for future Asean envoys and member states alike. 'It's not just for Myanmar, but for any future hotspot in the region. It must be Asean-owned, not externally imposed, and built from within existing Asean mechanisms,' Bon said. He stressed that the framework would help ensure a consistent and principled Asean approach to both intra- and inter-state issues. Separately, Malaysia was also proposing for Nov 18 to be designated as Asean Human Rights Day, to commemorate the date the Asean Human Rights Declaration was adopted in 2012. 'Just like how Dec 10 is recognised globally as International Human Rights Day, we're suggesting that Asean commemorates Nov 18 as our own human rights day. 'It's been 13 years since the declaration. This is the time to affirm our commitment,' he said.
