26 June 2019 - NPWJ News Digest on International Criminal Justice

Articles

Sierra Leone: Amnesty International joins legal challenge against government ban on pregnant girls attending school
Amnesty International, 26 Jun 2019

Amnesty International has joined a legal case brought by two non-governmental organizations, Equality Now and WAVES, to challenge the Sierra Leonean government’s ban on pregnant girls attending mainstream schools and sitting exams, the organization said today. The announcement was made ahead of a hearing at the regional Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice on 27 June 2019, where the case was initially filed in May 2018. “We at Amnesty International believe this ban clearly conflicts with the right to education without discrimination, according to international and regional standards,” said Lucy Claridge, Director of Strategic Litigation at Amnesty International.

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Hatice Cengiz: UN 'must take action now' over Khashoggi's murder
Al Jazeera, 25 Jun 2019

Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, has called for an international probe into his murder, days after a United Nations expert report blamed Saudi Arabia for his killing inside the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul. "This is the first report that says loud and clear how to proceed," Cengiz said on Tuesday, addressing diplomats and media at the United Nations in the Swiss city of Geneva. "We need an international investigation into Jamal's murder," she added. "Not only high-level officials are involved in the killing, but the report says Saudi Arabia has tried to eliminate the evidence of it. It's scandalous."

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New Draft of 'Crimes Against Humanity' Treaty Affirms Protection for Women and LGBTIQ Persons. The Fight Wasn’t Easy—and It Isn’t Over Yet
Common Dreams, 24 Jun 2019

When it comes to the letter of the law, a few words can mean the difference between having your rights protected – or not. Earlier this month, the International Law Commission (ILC) formally recommended a final draft of the new crimes against humanity (CAH) treaty for adoption by states—a treaty that promises to bring justice to victims of atrocities. Previous drafts of the treaty adopted a 20-year-old definition of gender that isn’t explicit on whether it includes LGBTIQ persons, and more broadly, women and men persecuted for not following oppressive dress codes or gendered roles prescribed by the perpetrators who abuse them.

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Resilience Fund Launch event and Advisory Council meeting
ReliefWeb, 23 Jun 2019

Grassroots efforts have become crucial in mobilizing peaceful community action against organized crime. These actors are first responders by creating community cohesion and calling attention to injustice and exploitation. Yet, they are also increasingly vulnerable. The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime has launched the Resilience Fund to support such actors, providing the resources they urgently need. The Resilience Fund, supported by the Government of Norway, aims to build and incubate community-resilience initiatives. The Fund will equip individuals and initiatives with the financial means, capacity and skills building tools to seek innovative approaches to citizen security and peace-building, and to respond and adapt positively to adversity.

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