News

IMADR submitted a written statement on “Enforced Disappearances in Sri Lanka” at the 36th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here.  ——— Enforced Disappearances in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka has endured consecutive periods of violent insurgency and a 26-year-long armed conflict between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam.[1] This conflict ended in 2009 and was characterised by the killing of civilians, arbitrary arrests and detention of Tamils, widespread torture, extrajudicial executions, and enforced disappearances.[2][3] It has had “devastating consequences at a human, social and institutional level”.[4] According to the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL) Report, many of the […]

On the 25th of August, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) concluded its 93rd session. At the session, the CERD adopted concluding observations on Canada, Djibouti, Ecuador, Kuwait, New Zealand, Russia, Tajikistan and the United Arab Emirates. *Recommendations with asterisks [*] are one-year follow-up recommendations. Concluding observations, reports of the State parties and other stakeholders are available at the OHCHR website . You can also watch the video archives of the public meetings with the State parties at UN Web TV . The Committee adopted a decision on the USA and Nigeria under its Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedure. The list of issues for Bahrain  was adopted during the 93rd session.   Canada The Committee […]

For the adoption of list of issues prior to reporting by the UN Human Rights Committee , IMADR submitted a report on racial discrimination issues in Japan. The report is prepared with two focused areas below. General Information Human Rights Challenges faced by Minority Women including Buraku Women Discriminatory Online Postings against Buraku Download the full report here 

On 22 June 2017, States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) elected 9 candidates to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) for renewal of half of the membership: www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CERD/Pages/Elections27.aspx Here is a quick glance at the election and joint civil society initiative. Election questionnaire The International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR), Minority Rights Group International (MRG) and the International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) circulated a questionnaire to the candidates in order to promote a merit-based and transparent CERD election process. Responses received were posted on a dedicated website: […]

On 27 June, we released our new issue of E-CONNECT. If you have not subscribed to our newsletter, you ca do it from here! Back number is also available. Feature story “Open space for protest must be created in Okinawa”, collective voice to Japan In April 2016, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression conducted his mission to Japan. On the occasion of his country report’s presentation, a joint side event on “Freedom of Expression in Okinawa, Japan” was held at the UN Human Rights Council. The event welcomed three civil society representatives from Okinawa including Mr. Hiroji Yamashiro, and the UN Special Rapporteur. The event revealed challenges for freedom of […]

Joint Communiqué – States renewed half of the members of the CERD Geneva, Switzerland. 27 June 2017 On June 22nd, States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) voted to renew half of the membership of the Committee. They elected 5 new experts, including for the first time a Roma person, and re-elected 4 members who were already seating in the Committee, among 15 candidates from all regions. New members include Ms. Chinsung Chung (Republic of Korea), Ms. Keiko Ko (Japan), Ms. Rita Izsak-Ndiaye (Hungary), Mr. Bakari Sidiki Diaby (Côte d’Ivoire) and Mr. Silvio José Albuquerque E. Silva (Brazil). They will join 4 experts whose terms as […]

On Friday 16th June at the 35th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR), jointly with Amnesty International and Franciscans International, held a side event titled “Freedom of Expression in Okinawa, Japan”. The All Okinawa Council for Human Rights also supported the event. Video of the event is available in Japanese. The event was moderated by Ms. Jane Connors, Director of International Advocacy of Amnesty International. Following three civil society representatives from Okinawa, Mr. Nozomi Kanetaka, Mr. Hiroji Yamashiro, Mr. Takashi Abe, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Mr. David […]

IMADR delivered its oral statement on “Challenges of human rights defenders working against racial discrimination in the context of counter-terrorism” at the 35th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here.  ——— IMADR Oral Statement: 35th session of the Human Rights Council Item 9: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance 19 June 2017 Speaker: Taisuke KOMATSU Thank you Mr. President,  We appreciate the Special Rapporteur’s thematic report on “challenges to combating racism and xenophobia in the context of countering terrorism”, in addition to the previous thematic reports. Given the growing manifestation of racism around the […]

On behalf of IMADR and Franciscans International, Mr. Hiroji Yamashiro delivered the statement on “Japan’s arbitrary arrests and detention of Okinawan human rights defender” at the 35th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or download here (English/ 日本語).  ——— Joint Oral Statement: 35th session of the Human Rights Council Item 4: General Debate 15 June 2017 Delivered by: Hiroji Yamashiro On behalf of IMADR   Thank you Mr. President. I am Hiroji Yamashiro. I lead the peaceful protest movement against human rights violations by the U.S. military bases in Okinawa, Japan. The Governments of Japan and the U.S. are building military bases in Okinawa despite the strong […]

IMADR delivered its oral statement on “Multiple discrimination and violence against Dalit and Buraku women and girls” at the 35th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here.  ——— IMADR Oral Statement: 35th session of the Human Rights Council Item 3: General Debate, the High Commissioner’s Report on “Impact of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and violence in the context of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance on the full enjoyment of all human rights by women and girls” 13 June 2017 Speaker: Taisuke Komatsu Thank you Mr. President, IMADR welcomes the High Commissioner’s report to address multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and […]

IMADR delivered its oral statement on “Freedom of expression in Okinawa/ Japan” at the 35th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here.  ——— IMADR Oral Statement: 35th session of the Human Rights Council Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression 12 June 2017 Speaker: Taisuke KOMATSU Thank you Mr. President, We welcome the Special Rapporteur’s country visit report and endorse his recommendations to the Government of Japan. Although we acknowledge the Government’s positive step in facilitating his visit, it is regrettable that the Government has failed to consider his recommendations constructively. We are concerned by […]

Together with All Okinawa Council for Human Rights, Amnesty International and Franciscans International, IMADR is holding a side event on “Freedom of Expression in Okinawa, Japan” at the 35th session of the Human Rights Council from 12:00 pm, Friday 16th June at Room XXIV in Palais des Nations. The event will be webcasted in Japanese at: https://goo.gl/n6s12l For further information, click on the flyer below.  

UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Mr. David Kaye, expressed concerns on undue restrictions on public protest and dissent in Okinawa, in his report released today. The report is an outcome of his first official visit to Japan in April last year. In his comprehensive report on wide-ranging issues of freedom of expression in Japan such as: media independence; interference in the communication/ expression of history; access to information; discrimination and hate speech; and restrictions on election campaigns, the Special Rapporteur dedicated whole two paragraphs to address the situation in Okinawa as below. “The Special Rapporteur also shared his concerns about public protest, in particular in Okinawa, with the […]

At its 93rd session from 31st July to 25th August 2017, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) will consider the situation of racial discrimination in following 8 countries. Civil society organisations (CSOs) are encouraged to submit information on Canada, Djibouti, Ecuador, Kuwait, New Zealand, Russia, Tajikistan and UAE.  During the session, the Committee will also adopt the list of issues prior to reporting (LOIPR) for Bahrain. If you are a CSO participating in the forthcoming session and wishes to receive practical advice on advocacy at the CERD, contact us at: geneva[@]imadr.org (remove “[]” when you send e-mail)  Practical Information Deadline for submission of NGO reports: 7th July 2017 Information Note for NGOs  for the submission of reports, accreditation […]

IMADR Director, Theo van Boven, shares his in-depth analysis on threats of the current rise of populism to an inclusive social and international order and the principles of human rights. – – – – – Trends and Developments In Europe, the United States of America and elsewhere in the world there is a notable trend in political and social mentality that turns away from an inclusive society. It alienates itself from the opening preambular paragraph of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which recognizes “the inherent integrity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”. […]

IMADR Director, Michael O. Sharpe, raises an alarm over the recent U.S. President’s executive orders on immigration as a challenge to the foundation of democracy and human rights. – – – – – US President Trump has attempted to game the system with two controversial executive orders that test the resilience of US democratic principles and institutions with far reaching internal and international consequences.  These executive orders appear to establish a religious test for entry into the US and violate the bedrock US founding constitutional principles of religious liberty, equal protection, and due process of law. Executive orders allow US presidents to direct officers and agencies of the US federal government and […]