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The right to freedom of opinion and expression exercised through the Internet 2011, para. 24a
- Paragraph text
- [As set out in article 19, paragraph 3, of the Covenant, there are certain exceptional types of expression which may be legitimately restricted under international human rights law, essentially to safeguard the rights of others. This issue has been examined in the previous annual report of the Special Rapporteur. However, the Special Rapporteur deems it appropriate to reiterate that any limitation to the right to freedom of expression must pass the following three-part, cumulative test:] It must be provided by law, which is clear and accessible to everyone (principles of predictability and transparency); and
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The right to access information 2013, para. 66a
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur wishes to highlight the importance of the references made to the disclosure of information on violations of human rights and humanitarian law, stipulated in section A of principle 10 of the Tshwane Principles, namely:] There is an overriding public interest in disclosure of information regarding gross violations of human rights or serious violations of international humanitarian law, including crimes under international law, and systematic or widespread violations of the rights to personal liberty and security. Such information may not be withheld on national security grounds in any circumstances;
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
The right to access information 2013, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- In the context of access to information on violations of human rights, the references made in the Tshwane Principles to public interest disclosures (part VI) and limits on measures to sanction or restrain the disclosure of information to the public (part VII) are of particular relevance. Among various recommendations, it is proposed that national law should protect from retaliation public personnel who make disclosures of information showing wrongdoing (such as human rights violations), regardless of whether the information is classified or otherwise confidential. It is further suggested that public bodies establish internal procedures and designate specific persons to receive protected disclosures.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
The right to access information 2013, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- Information on human rights violations involving the activities of national security and intelligence bodies that operate under strict secrecy procedures are often only disclosed by those working within these entities (see A/HRC/10/3). In this regard, the Special Rapporteur has recalled the importance of ensuring the protection of whistle-blowers, that is, persons with a connection to the State who, having a legal obligation to ensure confidentiality, disclose to the public information that they reasonably consider to reveal human rights violations. The Special Rapporteur has indicated that a whistle-blower should not be subjected to legal, administrative or disciplinary sanctions as long as he or she has acted in good faith, pursuant to international standards on the subject. In fact, every person who is involved in or witnesses a human rights violation should assume the moral responsibility to denounce it.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Freedom of expression, States and the private sector in the digital age 2016, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- Private actors face substantial pressures from Governments and individuals to restrict expression deemed to constitute extremism or hatred, hostility or harassment. Private actors may also themselves aim to foster what they perceive to be civil discourse on their platforms, regulate access through real-name requirements and other registration policies, or feature or prioritize certain content for business reasons. Future work will evaluate the potential of State abuse of private initiatives, the impact of private measures on freedom of expression, and the relevant human rights obligations and responsibilities. This reporting will not only focus on the roles of social media and search engines, but also lesser known actors such as e-commerce and financial intermediaries.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Best practices that promote and protect the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association 2012, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- As mentioned earlier, any restrictions imposed must be necessary and proportionate to the aim pursued. Reference to the proportionality test is found in legislation governing peaceful assemblies in a number of countries, including New Zealand and Switzerland. In addition, such restrictions must be facilitated within "sight and sound" of its object and target audience, and "organizers of peaceful assemblies should not be coerced to follow the authorities' suggestions if these would undermine the essence of their right to freedom of peaceful assembly". In this connection, he warns against the practice whereby authorities allow a demonstration to take place, but only in the outskirts of the city or in a specific square, where its impact will be muted.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Best practices that promote and protect the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association 2012, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur believes that the exercise of fundamental freedoms should not be subject to previous authorization by the authorities (as explicitly expressed in the Spanish Constitution), but at the most to a prior notification procedure, whose rationale is to allow State authorities to facilitate the exercise of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to take measures to protect public safety and order and the rights and freedoms of others. Such a notification should be subject to a proportionality assessment, not unduly bureaucratic and be required a maximum of, for example, 48 hours prior to the day the assembly is planned to take place. A notification procedure is in force in several countries, including Armenia, Austria, Canada, Cote d'Ivoire, Finland, Indonesia, Morocco, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Portugal, Senegal, Serbia, and the United Republic of Tanzania. Prior notification should ideally be required only for large meetings or meetings which may disrupt road traffic. In the Republic of Moldova, any assembly of fewer than 50 participants may take place without prior notification and the change from an authorization to a notification procedure fostered an increase in the number of individuals exercising their right to freedom of peaceful assembly. In this context, the Special Rapporteur regrets that the law on demonstrations recently adopted by referendum in the canton of Geneva, Switzerland, provides for a fine of up to 100,000 Swiss francs for anyone who, inter alia, does not request an authorization to demonstrate or does not respect the content of the authorization.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Ability of associations to access financial resources as a vital part of the right to freedom of association & Ability to hold peaceful assemblies as an integral component of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly 2013, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- Whenever organizers have deliberately not respected a legitimate restriction imposed on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, sanctions should be proportionate to the offence with a view to not dissuading the holding of future assemblies. In many countries where a regime of authorization is in place, exorbitant fines are often in place in case organizers do not request authorization to demonstrate or do not respect the content of the authorization. Such fines are in many cases disproportionate, and have a chilling effect on the enjoyment of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of expression, as in the legislations of Azerbaijan, Russian Federation and (Canton of Geneva) Switzerland.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
The exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in the context of multilateral institutions 2014, para. 30
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur cautions multilateral institutions against what he sees as a total absence of will to take stock of situations that are often created or exacerbated by their own projects and meetings. The Special Rapporteur is alarmed at the extremely high number of reported violations to the right of peaceful assembly during summits of multilateral institutions as regularly happens with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the G20. The organizing States often react with determination to rein in the civil society multitude, using militarized security measures, cordoned-off zones for official meetings, repression of peaceful protesters, and a general reduction of space for democratic discussion with increasing penalties for public misbehaviour - rules that appear much more permanent than temporary and that receive the implicit consent of the multilateral summit organizers.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in the context of multilateral institutions 2014, para. 43
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur also believes that a pro-civil society organization culture within multilateral organizations is crucial. Such a culture should be rooted in the attitude that the organization is an agent dedicated to upholding ideals and effecting change, rather than a bureaucracy built to maintain the status quo. There must also be a willingness to call out Member States who fail to respect fundamental rights. Stating that some issues are "too political" - as the World Bank allegedly did when Human Rights Watch warned them that the Government was closing space for civil society in Egypt - is not acceptable. Finally, it should be acknowledged that a strong civil society sector is essential for multilateral institutions' effectiveness, as it is often the best source of information on the ground.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Comparative study of enabling environments for associations and businesses 2015, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- As a starting point, the Special Rapporteur underscores that the right to freedom of association equally protects associations that are not registered, which means that associations should never be required to register. Allowing unregistered associations is fundamental to a good enabling environment for civil society. An association is simply a group of like-minded people who come together to pursue a common interest. A democratic State has no inherent interest in regulating this type of private activity in and of itself. Since associations cannot be presumed to be unlawful any more than businesses can, States should use ordinary civil or criminal law to address associational activity unlawful under international law, to the same extent they do for unlawful business activity.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
The rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in the context of natural resource exploitation projects 2015, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- States are obligated to protect and facilitate the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in the context of natural resource exploitation, including by ensuring that business interests do not violate these rights. To discharge their duties in that respect, States should, among other things, enact robust national laws that stipulate the rights and responsibilities of all, create independent and effective enforcement, oversight and adjudicatory mechanisms, ensure effective remedies for violations of rights and promote awareness of, and access to information about, relevant policies and practices related to natural resource exploitation.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Reflection on work undertaken in first 14 years of the mandate; outline of opportunities and priorities 2014, para. 78
- Paragraph text
- To this end, the Special Rapporteur expects to devote a thematic report to the issue of access to justice in relation to the right to housing. In so doing, the Special Rapporteur hopes to: (a) assess and document barriers to access to justice experienced by claimants; (b) consult with government authorities, judges and a broad range of experts on strategic litigation about challenges in ensuring access to justice; and (c) promote research and statistical analysis with a view to providing reliable evidence and indicators of compliance.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The UN responsibility for the cholera outbreak in Haiti 2016, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- Third, the contention that receipt of the claims would "necessarily involve a review of political and policy matters" is self-serving and unjustified. The claims are far from being "political" in the sense defined by the Secretary-General in 1995 as those targeting actions or decisions of political organs, nor are they rambling denunciations (see A/C.5/49/65). In terms of policies, it is true that waste management and other such internal policies might need to be reviewed, but if that prospect is enough to trigger non-receivability, it would become effectively impossible ever to claim damages from the United Nations.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Marginality of economic and social rights 2016, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- Many books have now been written extolling the virtues of involvement by the courts in enforcing economic and social rights in various countries around the world, but justiciability is by no means the whole story. Indeed, it might be argued that the focus on justiciability has become the tail that is wagging the analytical dog. Rights holders can seek accountability through many means, including: (a) sharing information with the media; (b) using community or peer pressure; (c) collecting and publishing data; (d) complaining to an authoritative body or person; and (e) evaluating and reporting. However, most of these methods assume that, at the end of the day, there will be a mechanism in place to which the claim can ultimately be brought for vindication in the absence of self-correction by the duty holder.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The UN responsibility for the cholera outbreak in Haiti 2016, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- Given the extent to which there is agreement on this legal framework, the puzzle is why the current position of the United Nations remains so very distant from the outcome that these principles seem to require. In essence, there are two reasons. The first is the determination to abide by the unpublished legal opinion that declares the claim not to be of a private character. For the reasons explained above, this opinion should be reconsidered and revised. The second reason is the failure to openly acknowledge and clearly address a range of background considerations which have fuelled fears that have apparently deterred the various actors from seeking to resolve the problem in a principled manner. The report turns now to examining those matters.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Freedom of expression, States and the private sector in the digital age 2016, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- Restrictions on freedom of expression online occur on a daily basis and frequently involve corporate conduct, whether compelled by law or pursuant to corporate policy and practice (for example, as reflected in terms of service). Common examples of such restrictions include unlawful or otherwise questionable content removals, service restrictions and account suspensions, and data security breaches.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Freedom of expression, States and the private sector in the digital age 2016, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- Throughout this future work, the Special Rapporteur will pay particular attention to legal developments (legislative, regulatory, and judicial) at national and regional levels. In this context, he alerts all stakeholders to his interest in gathering such materials for future communications and reporting and encourages interested parties to collect and provide such material throughout the course of this work.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Ability of associations to access financial resources as a vital part of the right to freedom of association & Ability to hold peaceful assemblies as an integral component of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly 2013, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur is concerned that access to new communications technologies, in particular the Internet, or to specific websites, has allegedly been temporarily blocked prior to, during or after peaceful assemblies (e.g., in Algeria, China and Egypt).
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Solitary confinement 2011, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur's predecessors have noted that prolonged solitary confinement may itself amount to prohibited ill-treatment or torture (E/CN.4/1999/61, para. 394, and E/CN.4/2003/68, para. 26 (m)).
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Overview of working methods and vision 2011, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- In his report to the 13th session of the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism takes the view that "reliance on information from torture in another country, even if the information is obtained only for operational purposes, inevitably implies the "recognition of lawfulness" of such practices and therefore triggers the application of principles of State responsibility. Hence, States that receive information obtained through torture or inhuman and degrading treatment are complicit in the commission of internationally wrongful acts. Such involvement is also irreconcilable with the obligation erga omnes of States to cooperate in the eradication of torture." The Special Rapporteur shares this view and believes that this is a good starting point for future deliberation on the subject.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Overview of working methods and vision 2011, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur considers the issues of torture and ill-treatment of victims in secret detention as a key concern that falls squarely within his mandate. He intends to follow up on any new and credible allegations concerning the ongoing use of places of secret detention by States or their complicity regarding their existence. Eradicating such practices is central to the prevention of torture and the Special Rapporteur believes that engagement in this issue cannot be seen as an unwarranted expansion of the definition of torture set forth in article 1 of the Convention or of the treaty's establishment of responsibility for its occurrence.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The death penalty and the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment 2012, para. 27
- Paragraph text
- It has long been the view in doctrine and jurisprudence that article 6 of the Covenant (as well as the exclusion of "pain and suffering arising only, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions" from the definition of torture in art. 1, para. 1, of the Convention against Torture) means that the death penalty cannot be considered per se a violation of the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. However, as noted by the Special Rapporteur's predecessor in his 2009 report on the death penalty (A/HRC/10/44) in reference to judicial bodies, such interpretation may change over time, as was the case with the prohibition of corporal punishment.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Commissions of inquiry 2012, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- The report of the commission of inquiry should be published widely and in a manner that is accessible to the broadest audience possible, and should explain the commission's findings of fact and the legal analysis that supports its conclusions. The report should also contain detailed recommendations for all branches of Government (or to the international community, if applicable) on how to fulfil the State's obligations with regard to truth, justice, reparation to victims and guarantees of non-repetition. Through its highest authorities, the State should respond promptly to the publication of the commission's report, indicating its acceptance or rejection of each recommendation, with carefully reasoned explanations, and ideally a timetable for implementation of the recommendations.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Role of forensic and medical sciences in the investigation prevention torture and other ill-treatment 2014, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- Forensic evidence is a type of expert evidence. The purpose of expert evidence is to provide the court with information based on scientific methods, the interpretation of which is outside the experience and specialized knowledge of a court. It is the task of the court to decide whether there is a need for expert evidence, to order its procurement and to establish the competency of each expert witness. Accordingly, where forensic evidence forms only part of the total factual matrix, as in most cases, the issue for a decision-maker in a criminal trial is to determine what use can and should be made of that forensic evidence.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment from an extraterritorial perspective 2015, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- The obligation enshrined in article 2 of the Convention, which requires States to take effective legislative, administrative, judicial and other measures to prevent torture in "any territory under [their] jurisdiction", applies to all areas and places "where the State party exercises, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, de jure or de facto effective control"; furthermore, the scope of "territory" in article 2 encompasses "situations where a State party exercises, directly or indirectly, de facto or de jure control over persons in detention" and applies to "all persons under the effective control of its authorities, of whichever type, wherever located in the world" (CAT/C/USA/CO/2, para. 15). The Committee has clarified that this applies to all provisions expressed as applicable to territory under the State party's jurisdiction, which further apply, inter alia, to the prohibition against other ill-treatment contained in article 16.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment from an extraterritorial perspective 2015, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur examines herein States' obligations to respect and ensure the right of all persons to be free from torture and ill-treatment and to comply with attendant legal obligations imposed by customary and applicable treaty law whenever they engage in acts or breach the human rights of individuals outside their borders, and to ensure a broader range of positive obligations when they are in a position to do so extraterritorially. Denying the applicability of extant legal standards to torture or other ill-treatment committed, sponsored, aided or effectively controlled or influenced by States outside their territories can create incentives for States to avoid absolute legal obligations and amount to serious breaches of international law. The Special Rapporteur considers that it is essential to ensure that there is no vacuum of human rights protection that is due to inappropriate and artificial limits on territorial jurisdiction.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment from an extraterritorial perspective 2015, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- In R. v. Pinochet (No. 3), the United Kingdom House of Lords approved the extradition of the former President of Chile to face torture charges in Spain, finding that the "jus cogens nature of the international crime of torture justifies States in taking universal jurisdiction over torture wherever committed". Offences constituting jus cogens, such as torture, may be punished by any State because the offenders are "common enemies of all mankind and all nations have an equal interest in their apprehension and prosecution". It is illustrative that at least 85 States provide in their domestic law for universal jurisdiction over torture. The Special Rapporteur welcomes instances of States' exercise of universal jurisdiction to investigate international crimes such as torture, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed extraterritorially by or against non-citizens as a means to combat impunity.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
The Special Rapporteur's vision of the mandate 2017, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- While the inclusion of the concept that development promotes human rights into the international human rights system is crucial, the Special Rapporteur stresses that a major shift in the global human rights conversation requires the recognition that the interaction between development and human rights is twofold. Development contributes to human rights, and the enjoyment of those rights promotes development. In that context, the use of public space, participation in public debate and the possibility of organizing and associating all contribute to expanding civil space within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal 16, which provides for peaceful, inclusive and just societies with effective, accountable and inclusive institutions. Inequalities, on the other hand, have a negative impact on the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
The Special Rapporteur's vision of the mandate 2017, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- In his first report to the General Assembly (A/68/299), the previous mandate holder addressed concerns about the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, documenting the countless threats to such freedoms in the context of elections. One of the most critical findings outlined in the report was that elections did not exist in a vacuum, and their quality could not be judged solely by what happened during the vote, but also by what happened before and after the elections. Another critical finding was that, “given the importance of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in the context of elections, the threshold for imposing such restrictions should be higher than usual: the criteria of ‘necessity in a democratic society’ and ‘proportionality’ should be more difficult to meet during election time” (ibid., para. 25).
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph