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Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions

          
          United Nations
          O General Assembly Distr.: General
          11 August 2000
          Original: English
          Fifty-fifth session
          Item 116 (b) of the provisional agenda*
          fruman rights questions: human rights questions, including
          alternative approaches for improving the effective
          enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms
          Extrajudicial, sumnoery or arbitrary executions
          Note by the Secretary Genera1**
          The Secretary-General has the honour to transmit to the members of the
          General Assembly the interim report on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary
          executions, submitted by Asma Jahangir, Special Rapporteur of the Commission on
          Human Rights, in accordance with paragraph 17 of General Assembly resolution
          53/147 of 9 December 1998.
          * A/55/150.
          ** In accordance with General Assembly resolution 54/248, sect. C, para. 1, this report is being
          submitted on 11 August 2000 so as to include as much updated information as possible.
          00-60481 (E) 031000
        
          
          AJ55/288
          Interim report of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on
          Human Rights on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
          I. Introduction
          1. At its fifty-first session, the General Assembly, in
          its resolution 51/92, requested the Special Rapporteur
          on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions to
          submit an interim report to it at its fifty-third session.
          However, as Ms. Jahangir was appointed Special
          Rapporteur only in August 1998, she was unfortunately
          not in a position to present a full report; she did,
          however, make an oral presentation to the General
          Assembly at its fifty-third session. The present report is
          submitted pursuant to Assembly resolution 53/147 of
          9 December 1998.
          2. The report covers activities undertaken from the
          appointment of the Special Rapporteur to 1 July 2000
          and focuses on a number of issues which are of
          particular concern, and which in the Special
          Rapporteur's view require special and urgent attention.
          Owing to the limited space available, and in order to
          avoid unnecessary duplication, when appropriate
          reference will be made to earlier reports of the Special
          Rapporteur where more detailed discussions on the
          issues raised can be found. The Special Rapporteur
          regrets that during the drafting process the report had
          to be significantly shortened owing to last-minute
          changes in the instructions regarding the submission of
          documents to the fifty-fifth session of the Assembly.
          She apologizes for any possible omissions or
          inaccuracies in this report which may have resulted
          from this unforeseen development.
          II. Mandate
          A. Terms of reference
          3. At its fifty-fourth session, the Commission on
          Human Rights, by its resolution 1998/68, renewed the
          Special Rapporteur's mandate for another three-year
          term. During its fifty-fifth and fiifiy-sixth sessions the
          Commission adopted resolutions 1999/35 and 2000/31,
          respectively. For a more detailed presentation of the
          terms of reference of the Special Rapporteur's
          mandate, reference is made to her reports to the
          Commission (E/CN.4/1999/39, paras. 4-5;
          E/CN.4/2000/3, paras. 4-5).
          B. Violations of the right to life upon
          which the Special Rapporteur takes
          action
          4. For a more detailed discussion of the situations in
          which the Special Rapporteur has acted during the
          present reporting period, reference is made to her
          reports to the Commission (E/CN.4/1999/39, para. 6;
          E/CN.4/2000/3, para. 6).
          C. Legal framework
          5. For an overview of the international standards by
          which the Special Rapporteur is guided in her work,
          reference is made to the report of her predecessor to the
          Commission on Human Rights at its forty-ninth session
          (E/CN.4/1993/46, paras. 42-68). The Special
          Rapporteur has largely followed the methods of work
          developed and applied by the previous Special
          Rapporteur, Bacre Waly Ndiaye, which are described in
          his report to the Commission at its fiftieth session
          (E/CN.4/1994/7, paras. 13-67), as well as his
          subsequent reports to the Commission
          (E/CN.4/1 995/61, paras. 9-11; E/CN.4/1 996/4, paras.
          11-12).
          III. Activities
          A. General remarks
          6. The Special Rapporteur attaches great importance
          to cooperation and coordination with other human
          rights mechanisms of the Commission on Human
          Rights and has on numerous occasions taken joint
          action, including joint urgent appeals with other special
          rapporteurs and representatives. She welcomes the
          ongoing efforts at the Office of the United Nations
          High Commissioner for Human Rights further to
          coordinate the information flow and activities between
          the various components of the United Nations human
          rights programme, including the special procedures,
          treaty monitoring bodies, technical cooperation
          programmes and field presences. The Special
          Rapporteur would also like to express her appreciation
          for the support she has received from the High
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          Commissioner, who has shown a personal interest in
          the mandate and a genuine understanding for the
          challenges it faces.
          B. Communications
          7. In the discharge of her mandate, the Special
          Rapporteur relies to a large extent on information
          brought to her attention by non-governmental
          organizations (NGOs), Governments, individuals and
          intergovernmental organizations. The communications
          sent based on this information contain specific cases of
          alleged extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions,
          imminent executions of death sentences, death threats,
          or more general information on questions relating to
          the right to life. The Special Rapporteur wishes to
          emphasize that the communications presented in the
          paragraphs below are based exclusively on allegations
          and reports brought to her attention. Therefore, they
          should only be seen as approximately indicative of the
          occurrence of violations of the right to life in the
          countries under consideration. During field visits the
          Special Rapporteur noted that representatives of civil
          society in a number of countries, including journalists
          and lawyers, were not aware of the human rights
          mechanisms of the United Nations. She therefore
          recognizes that information received by her is
          sometimes limited, selective, and may not reflect all
          dimensions of violations of the right to life. The
          Special Rapporteur is also acutely aware that the
          figures presented below do not in any way reflect the
          tragedy and suffering of the victims of these violations
          or their families. However, some patterns and trends do
          emerge when studying the information received.
          8. During the period August 1998-July 2000, the
          Special Rapporteur transmitted urgent appeals on
          behalf of more than 400 persons to the Governments of
          the following 54 countries: Argentina (2), Bahamas (3),
          Bolivia (1), Bosnia and Herzegovina (1), Botswana (1),
          Brazil (8), Burkina Faso (1), Burundi (1), Chile (3),
          China (9), Colombia (46), Cuba (1), Democratic
          Republic of the Congo (1), Dominican Republic (1),
          Ecuador (3), El Salvador (1), Egypt (1), Equatorial
          Guinea (1), Gambia (1), Germany (1), Guatemala (3),
          Guyana (1), Haiti (1), Honduras (3), India (2),
          Indonesia (9), Iran (Islamic Republic of) (7), Iraq (1),
          Jamaica (1), Kazakhstan (1), Mexico (8), Nepal (1),
          Nicaragua (1), Pakistan (3), Peru (4), Philippines (7),
          Russian Federation (2), South Africa (1), Sierra Leone
          (2), Sri Lanka (3), Sudan (2), Tajikistan (2), Trinidad
          and Tobago (3), Turkey (6), Uganda (1), United Arab
          Emirates (1), United Kingdom of Great Britain and
          Northern Ireland (1), United States of America (21),
          Uzbekistan (1), Venezuela (3), Yemen (2), Yugoslavia
          (2), Zambia (1) and Zimbabwe (1). She also sent two
          urgent appeals to the Palestinian Authority. Among the
          urgent appeals sent by the Special Rapporteur 36 were
          transmitted jointly with other mechanisms of the
          Commission on Human Rights: the Special Rapporteur
          on the question of torture, the Special Rapporteur on
          the promotion and protection of the freedom of opinion
          and expression, the Special Rapporteur on violence
          against women, its causes and consequences, the
          Chairman-Rapporteur of the Working Group on
          Arbitrary Detention, the Special Representative on the
          situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of
          Iran and the Representative of the Secretary-General on
          internally displaced persons.
          9. In addition, the Special Rapporteur transmitted
          allegations regarding violations of the right to life of
          more than 1,650 individuals to the Governments of the
          following 62 countries: Albania, Algeria, Angola,
          Austria, Azerbaij an, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium,
          Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cameroon,
          Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Democratic Republic of
          the Congo, Ethiopia, France, Guatemala, Guinea-
          Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia,
          Israel, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Liberia, Malaysia, Mexico,
          Myanmar, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria,
          Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Republic of
          Korea, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia,
          Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
          Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom of Great
          Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America,
          Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Yugoslavia and Zambia. She
          also transmitted allegations to the Palestinian Authority
          and the Taliban Council.
          10. During the period under review, the Governments
          of the following countries provided a reply to
          communications addressed to them during 1998 and
          previous years: Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia,
          Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Belgium,
          Bhutan, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chile, China,
          Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba,
          Dominican Republic, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras,
          India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq,
          Jamaica, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal,
          Nicaragua, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
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          Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia,
          Senegal, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tunisia,
          Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States of
          America, Venezuela, Yugoslavia and Zambia.
          11. The Special Rapporteur wishes to take this
          opportunity to express her appreciation to those
          Governments which have provided comprehensive
          replies to her communications for their cooperation.
          She regrets that some Governments have replied only
          in part or on an irregular basis to her inquiries. She is
          further concerned that the Governments of Angola,
          Bangladesh, Bolivia, Botswana, Bosnia and
          Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Ecuador, El
          Salvador, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Israel, Rwanda, Sierra
          Leone, South Africa, Tajikistan, Thailand, Trinidad and
          Tobago, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Yemen did not reply
          to any of her communications and requests for
          information transmitted in the last year, nor did the
          Taliban Council or the Palestinian Authority. The
          Special Rapporteur regrets that the Government of
          Yemen has not replied to any communications in the
          last five years, and the Governments of Cambodia and
          Papua New Guinea have not replied to any of the
          communications transmitted by the Special Rapporteur
          in the past four years. The Governments of Rwanda
          and Romania have not replied to communications in
          the last three years.
          C. Visits
          12. Country visits and fact-finding missions in the
          field are a crucial part of the Special Rapporteur's
          work, as they allow her personally to gather
          information on site and to form her own impressions of
          the situation on the ground. The experience gained
          through these visits is also important for the Special
          Rapporteur in the discharge of her mandate. In the
          course of the last year the Special Rapporteur wrote to
          a number of Governments expressing her interest in
          visiting their countries. At the time of writing, the
          Governments of Turkey and Colombia had responded
          positively to these communications, and the Special
          Rapporteur looks forward to carrying out missions to
          these countries in the near future. Currently, the
          Special Rapporteur has requests pending with the
          Governments of Algeria, Sierra Leone, Bahrain,
          Uganda and the Russian Federation (Chechnya).
          13. Since her appointment the Special Rapporteur has
          undertaken four country visits. She conducted her first
          mission to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
          from 23 to 25 May and to Albania from 25 to
          28 May 1999. The main purpose of the visit was to
          collect first-hand information regarding the situation in
          Kosovo, with a view to assessing and evaluating
          allegations of human rights violations relevant to her
          mandate reported to have occurred there. It should be
          noted that the mission was carried out at a time when a
          visit to Kosovo itself was not possible, as the
          operations led by the North Atlantic Treaty
          Organization against the Federal Republic of
          Yugoslavia were still going on. The Special
          Rapporteur's observations during this mission can be
          found in her report to the Commission on Human
          Rights (E/CN.4/2000/3/Add.2). The Special Rapporteur
          is planning to carry out a follow-up visit to Kosovo in
          September 2000.
          14. The Special Rapporteur visited Mexico from 12
          to 24 July 1999. The main objective of the visit was to
          investigate and gather information about repeated
          allegations of extrajudicial killings, and in particular
          reports of massacres in the States of Chiapas and
          Guerrero. The Special Rapporteur's observations are
          presented in her mission report
          (E/CN. 4/2000/3/Add. 3).
          15. From 4 to 10 November the Special Rapporteur
          on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the
          Special Rapporteur on the question of torture and the
          Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its
          causes and consequences conducted a joint mission to
          East Timor. The visit was undertaken pursuant to
          resolution S-4/1 adopted on 27 September 1999 by the
          Commission on Human Rights at its special session on
          the human rights situation in East Timor. The findings
          of the Special Rapporteurs are presented in their joint
          mission report submitted to the General Assembly
          (A/54/660).
          16. The Special Rapporteur visited Nepal from 5 to
          14 February 2000. The visit was mainly prompted by
          continuing reports of alleged extrajudicial killings of
          unarmed civilians in the context of the confrontation
          between armed groups of the Communist Party of
          Nepal, CPN (Maoist) and the Nepalese police.
          Concerns had also been expressed that the situation had
          the potential to deteriorate, leading to more violence
          and loss of life. The Special Rapporteur will report on
          her findings to the Commission at its fifty-seventh
          session.
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          17. At its fifty-fifth session the Commission, in its
          resolution 1999/56 on the situation of human rights in
          the Democratic Republic of the Congo, requested the
          Special Rapporteurs on the situation of human rights in
          the Democratic Republic of the Congo and on
          extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, and a
          member of the Working Group on Enforced or
          Involuntary Disappearances to carry out, immediately
          after the signing of a ceasefire agreement or as soon as
          security considerations permitted, and where
          appropriate, a joint mission to investigate all massacres
          carried out in the country with a view to bringing to
          justice those responsible. The Special Rapporteur
          regrets that so far the conditions on the ground have
          not allowed the mechanisms concerned to carry out the
          mission called for by the Commission.
          18. In this connection, the Special Rapporteur further
          wishes to recall Commission resolution 2000/58 of
          25 April 2000, in which the Commission requested
          several of the thematic mechanisms, including the
          Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or
          arbitrary executions, to conduct missions to Checlmya.
          It may be noted that the Special Rapporteur had
          requested an invitation to visit Checlmya in March
          2000, but at the time of writing, the Government had
          not replied.
          11/. Situations involving violations of
          the right to life
          1 9. During the period under review, the Special
          Rapporteur transmitted communications to
          Governments or took other forms of action in relation
          to the following situations involving violations of the
          right to life: (a) capital punishment; (b) death threats;
          (c) deaths in custody; (d) deaths due to excessive use of
          force by law enforcement officials; (e) deaths due to
          attacks or killings by security forces; (f) extrajudicial
          killings attributed to paramilitary groups or private
          forces cooperating or tolerated by the State;
          (g) violations of the right to life during armed
          conflicts; (h) expulsion, refoulement or return of
          persons to a country or place where their lives are in
          danger; (i) genocide; and (j) issues relating to the rights
          of victims. Detailed accounts of correspondence and
          action taken by the Special Rapporteur in regard to
          these issues can be found in her reports to the
          Commission on Human Rights (E/CN.4/1999/39, paras.
          16-33; E/CN.4/2000/3, paras. 21-34).
          20. Information brought to the Special Rapporteur's
          attention during the period under review reveals certain
          trends and developments which she wishes to bring to
          the attention of the General Assembly. As regards
          death threats, the Special Rapporteur is increasingly
          concerned about the situation in Colombia, where
          human rights activists, community leaders, trade
          unionists and journalists continue to be particularly
          exposed. A growing number of allegations of death
          threats have also been received from Brazil, where
          indigenous groups, such as the Macuxi and Wapixana
          communities, human rights defenders and community
          leaders have reportedly been exposed to these abuses.
          21. The Special Rapporteur is concerned that in many
          countries the police and security forces continue to
          commit grave human rights abuses, including
          extrajudicial executions, in a climate of impunity.
          Throughout the reporting period the Special Rapporteur
          has on repeated occasions expressed her deep concern
          at the abuse of force by both the Indonesian police and
          army while performing law enforcement duties in
          various locations including Jakarta, East Timor and
          Aceh. In 1998, the Special Rapporteur also sent several
          communications to the Government of Indonesia
          expressing her concern over the likely eruption of
          violence before the popular consultation in East Timor,
          aifier having been informed of the systematic abuse of
          force by the Indonesian police during demonstrations
          in Jakarta and in Dili as well as in other provincial
          capitals. The Special Rapporteur is also alarmed by
          continuing reports of Israeli soldiers having
          deliberately opened fire against unarmed civilians.
          22. The Special Rapporteur is deeply disturbed by the
          increasing number of civilians, including many women
          and children, as well as persons hors de combat, killed
          in situations of armed conflict and internal strife as a
          result of deliberate attacks, the use of indiscriminate or
          disproportionate force, the utilization of anti-personnel
          mines, or the blockage of goods and services, including
          humanitarian aid. Particularly alarming reports have
          been received from the Democratic Republic of the
          Congo, the Russian Federation (Checlmya), the Federal
          Republic of Yugoslavia (Kosovo), Sri Lanka and
          Myanmar.
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          V. Issues requiring the attention of the
          Special Rapporteur
          A. Violations of the right to life of women
          23. During the period under review, the Special
          Rapporteur transmitted urgent appeals on behalf of
          women to the Governments of Chile, China, Colombia,
          the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, India,
          Indonesia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua,
          Pakistan, Peru, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago,
          Turkey and the United Kingdom. In addition, the
          Special Rapporteur transmitted allegations of
          violations of the right to life of women said to have
          occurred in Bangladesh, Belgium, Chile, China,
          Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
          India, Indonesia, Israel, Liberia, Myanmar, Pakistan,
          the Philippines, the Russian Federation, Rwanda, Sri
          Lanka and the Sudan. The Special Rapporteur is deeply
          disturbed by increasing reports of women being
          deliberately targeted and exposed to extreme violence,
          including extrajudicial killings, in the context of war or
          internal conflict. Particularly serious incidents have
          been reported from conflict areas in, inter alia, Kosovo,
          East Timor, the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
          Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
          B. Violations of the right to life of minors:
          children in armed conflict
          24. Since her appointment, the Special Rapporteur
          has on numerous occasions expressed her strong and
          categorical opposition to the use of children in armed
          activities. For a more detailed discussion and analysis
          of the issue, reference is made to the Special
          Rapporteur's reports to the Commission on Human
          Rights (E/CN.4/1 999/39, paras. 71-73; E/CN.4/2000/3,
          paras. 37-42). While on mission in Nepal in February
          2000 (see para. 16 above), the Special Rapporteur
          received reports of the use of children in armed
          activities by groups of the Communist Party of Nepal,
          CPN (Maoist). The Special Rapporteur is concerned
          that children are being enlisted by militant non-State
          actors to engage in violence and be indoctrinated to use
          violence against perceived enemies”. In many cases
          Governments either look away or react only once the
          problem gets out of hand. Neglect of child citizens,
          especially in conflict situations, is one root cause of
          this form of exploitation of children, which exposes
          them to extreme danger and often marks their lives
          forever.
          25. The Special Rapporteur is alarmed by continuing
          and increasing reports of extrajudicial killings of street
          children and juveniles in Honduras. She has received
          information alleging that more than 300 children and
          youths have been murdered in Honduras since 1998.
          More than half of the victims were reportedly under the
          age of 18. There are concerns that the authorities have
          not taken prompt and effective action to investigate
          these killings or prevent further killings. The Special
          Rapporteur intends to follow this situation very closely
          in the months to come and to return to the issue in her
          coming reports to the Commission on Human Rights.
          C. Violations of the right to life
          conceriiing refugees and internally
          displaced persons
          26. During the period under review, the Special
          Rapporteur has continued to receive disturbing reports
          of deliberate attacks against refugees and internally
          displaced persons, particularly in the context of
          internal conflict and unrest. It appears that in many
          instances the direct and deliberate targeting of
          civilians, including the internally displaced, has
          become part of the tactics employed by parties
          involved in armed conflict. Particularly disturbing
          reports have been received from conflict areas such as
          Kosovo, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the
          Congo, East Timor, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
          D. Violations of the right to life of persons
          exercising their right to freedom of
          opiiiion and expression
          27. During the present reporting period, the Special
          Rapporteur sent urgent appeals or communications
          regarding violations of the right to life of persons
          exercising their right to freedom of expression, mostly
          journalists and participants in demonstrations, in the
          following countries: Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
          Chile, China, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, India,
          Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic oD, Iraq, Mexico,
          Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama,
          Russian Federation, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
          Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Yugoslavia. In
          addition, the Special Rapporteur sent several appeals of
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          a general nature to the Government of Indonesia
          expressing concern over the security of participants in
          demonstrations and other political manifestations in all
          parts of the country. Most of these interventions were
          made jointly with the Special Rapporteur on freedom
          of opinion and expression.
          E. The right to life and the administration
          of justice
          28. The Special Rapporteur took action on behalf of
          persons involved in or related to the administration of
          justice in the following countries: Brazil, Colombia,
          Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico,
          Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Venezuela and the
          United Kingdom. The Special Rapporteur further sent
          one joint appeal with the Special Rapporteur on the
          independence on judges and lawyers and another with
          the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture to the
          Government of Turkey expressing concern over the
          security of the lawyers representing Abdulah O9alan. It
          may be noted that many of the lawyers referred to
          above had received threats because of their work for
          the promotion and protection of human rights.
          F. Violations of the right to life of persons
          belonging to national, ethnic, religious
          or linguistic minorities
          29. The Special Rapporteur acted on behalf of a
          variety of persons considered to belong to national,
          ethnic, religious and/or linguistic minorities in their
          respective countries. Urgent actions were sent to the
          Governments of the following countries: Brazil, Chile,
          China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
          Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic
          Republic of), Iraq, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka
          and Yugoslavia. One urgent action was also sent to the
          Taliban Council. The Special Rapporteur is
          increasingly disturbed by continuing reports of
          violations of the right to life of members of the Uighur
          community and Muslim leaders in the Xinjiang
          Autonomous Region of China. She is also concerned
          that members of indigenous communities in the above-
          mentioned Latin American countries continue to be
          exposed to violence and attacks, including extrajudicial
          killings.
          G. Violations of the right to life of
          individuals who have cooperated with
          representatives of United Nations
          human rights bodies (reprisals)
          30. During the period under review, the Special
          Rapporteur intervened on behalf of this category of
          person in Indonesia, Mexico and Peru. A more detailed
          description of the communications can be found in the
          Special Rapporteur's reports to the Commission on
          Human Rights (E/CN.4/1999/39, para. 49;
          E/CN.4/2000/3, paras. 52-53). For a more general
          analysis of this issue, reference is made to the report of
          the Secretary-General (E/CN.4/2000/101) submitted in
          accordance with Commission resolution 1999/16.
          H. Violations of the right to life of
          members of sexual minorities
          31. During the present reporting period, the Special
          Rapporteur received serious allegations of death threats
          or extrajudicial killings targeting members of sexual
          minorities. Her attention has been drawn especially to
          the situations in Brazil, El Salvador, Romania and
          Mexico where homosexual men, bisexuals and
          transvestites are reported to have been targeted. The
          Special Rapporteur is deeply concerned that in some
          countries homosexual relationships are still punishable
          by death. For a more detailed discussion of this issue,
          reference is made to the Special Rapporteur's reports to
          the Commission (E/CN.4/1999/39, paras. 76-77;
          E/CN.4/2000/3, paras. 54 -57).
          VI. Issues of special concern to the
          Special Rapporteur
          A. Capital punishment
          32. The Special Rapporteur's action in response to
          allegations of the right to life in connection with
          capital punishment is strongly guided by the principle
          of desirability of the abolition of the death penalty. The
          right to life is a basic right which is universal and
          absolute. While capital punishment has not yet been
          universally abolished under international law, its
          application has been tied to certain preconditions and
          restrictions. Various provisions of international law and
          resolutions of the United Nations stipulate that capital
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          punishment shall only be allowed as an extreme
          measure for the most serious crimes and only in cases
          where the highest standards of fair trial are observed.
          Under international law capital punishment shall not be
          applied to juvenile offenders, expectant or recent
          mothers, and those suffering from mental handicap or
          extremely limited mental capacity. The Special
          Rapporteur has discussed these aspects of her mandate
          at length in her latest report to the Commission on
          Human Rights (E/CN.4/2000/3, chap. V . sect. A). She
          hopes that similar protection would also be extended to
          elderly persons, pending a total abolition of the death
          penalty. The Special Rapporteur notes with
          appreciation that the Statute of the International
          Criminal Court and the International Tribunals for the
          former Yugoslavia and Rwanda are not authorized to
          impose the death penalty The Special Rapporteur
          hopes that this will inspire domestic jurisdictions to
          bring their laws regarding the death penalty into line
          with those used in international judicial forums.
          33. The Special Rapporteur is concerned that in many
          instances legal proceedings in relation to capital
          offences do not conform to the highest standards of
          impartiality, competence, objectivity and independence
          of the judiciary, in accordance with the pertinent
          international legal instruments. In this regard, she
          wishes to compliment George Ryan, Governor of
          Illinois, United States of America, for his moral
          courage in deciding to impose a moratorium on
          executions in the State of Illinois upon disclosure of
          possible flaws in the trial system. The Special
          Rapporteur encourages all retentionist States to impose
          a moratorium on executions pending an exhaustive
          enquiry regarding the capacity and independence of
          their legal systems.
          34. In a number of countries the death penalty is
          imposed for crimes which do not fall within the
          category of the most serious crimes” as stipulated in
          article 6, paragraph 6, of the International Covenant on
          Civil and Political Rights. Paragraph 1 of the
          Safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of
          those facing the death penalty states that the scope of
          crimes subject to the death penalty should not go
          beyond intentional crimes with lethal or other
          extremely grave consequences. The Special Rapporteur
          is strongly of the opinion that these restrictions exclude
          the possibility of imposing death sentences for
          economic and other so-called victimless offences,
          actions relating to prevailing moral values, or activities
          of a religious or political nature including acts of
          treason, espionage or other vaguely defined acts
          usually described as crimes against the State”. The
          Special Rapporteur further believes that the death
          penalty should under no circumstances be mandatory,
          regardless of the charges involved. The Special
          Rapporteur has been informed that the United Arab
          Emirates has passed a federal environmental protection
          law which, among other punishments, provides for the
          death penalty for those who import any baimed
          materials or nuclear waste and dump or store such
          materials in any form inside the country.
          35. Capital punishment for juvenile offenders is
          prohibited under international law. In her last report to
          the Commission on Human Rights (E/CN.4/2000/3),
          the Special Rapporteur noted that since 1990, six
          countries were reported to have executed persons who
          were under the age of 18 at the time of the crime: the
          Islamic Republic of Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi
          Arabia, Yemen and the United States of America. After
          the publication of that report, the Special Rapporteur
          wrote to these Governments requesting information
          about their current laws and practice in regard to the
          use of the death penalty for juvenile offenders. At the
          time of writing she had received no reply to these
          requests. However, she is pleased to note that Pakistan
          has promulgated a law which abolishes capital
          punishment for juvenile offenders who were under 18
          years of age at the time the crime was committed.
          36. In July 1999, the Special Rapporteur sent a
          questiom1aire to all States which still retain the death
          penalty either in law or in practice. In the questionnaire
          the States were requested to provide information on the
          following issues: (a) provisions for mandatory death
          penalty in domestic law; (b) provisions allowing for the
          use of the death penalty for persons under the age of
          18; (c) the number of executions of persons under the
          age of 18 in the last two years, or for crimes committed
          by persons under that age, as well as a brief description
          of their cases; (d) a description of the crimes for which
          the death penalty applies under national law. At the
          time of writing the following Governments had
          responded to the questionnaire: Antigua and Barbuda,
          Armenia, Barbados, Belarus, Egypt, Japan, Libyan
          Arab Jamahiriya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Myanmar,
          Oman, Rwanda, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Trinidad
          and Tobago, Ukraine and United Arab Emirates. She is
          concerned that according to the government replies
          received, the death penalty remains mandatory in
          8
        
          
          AJ55/288
          Armenia, Barbados, Malaysia, Myanmar, Rwanda,
          Trinidad and Tobago, and Ukraine.
          B. Deaths due to attacks or killings by
          security forces, paramilitary groups or
          private forces cooperating with or
          tolerated by the State
          37. A clearly discernible trend in recent years is the
          increasing incidence of large-scale extrajudicial
          killings carried out by government security forces or
          armed groups reported to be sponsored, supported or
          tolerated by Governments. The Special Rapporteur
          transmitted allegations on behalf of more than 1,250
          individuals killed by security forces, paramilitary
          groups or private forces to the Governments of Angola,
          Brazil, Burundi, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of
          the Congo, the Gambia, Honduras, India, Indonesia,
          Mexico, Myanmar, the Russian Federation, Senegal,
          Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and Yugoslavia.
          38. Grave human rights violations committed by such
          forces are particularly common in the context of
          internal disturbances and conflicts, but such incidents
          have also been reported in relation to conflicts with
          international dimensions. It is alarming that in some
          countries the unofficial use of irregular forces appears
          to have become part of government policies and
          counterinsurgency campaigns. That these groups are
          usually supported or directed by the military or civilian
          intelligence services further obscures their operations.
          In many cases the situation is further exacerbated by
          the fact that human rights violations perpetrated in this
          context are often ignored or actively covered up by the
          country's justice system. This may in some instances
          result in a deeply entrenched culture of impunity which
          further perpetuates human rights violations. Eventually,
          in such societies the authority of the law is seriously
          undermined and the respect for human life lost. During
          her field missions, the Special Rapporteur has had the
          opportunity personally to gather information and
          evidence of such atrocities committed in East Timor
          and Kosovo. A more detailed account of her findings
          on this issue may be found in her mission reports
          (A/54/660 and E/CN.4/2000/3/Add.2, respectively). A
          cause for particular alarm is the continuing violence in
          Colombia, which has resulted in a growing number of
          extrajudicial killings. A large number of civilians,
          including women and children, are among the victims
          of these atrocities. The information received suggests
          that many of these human rights violations have been
          perpetrated by paramilitary groups, some of which
          allegedly operate or have operated with the support of
          government forces.
          39. The Special Rapporteur continues to receive
          reports of violence and extrajudicial killings attributed
          to armed opposition groups and other non-State actors.
          It should be noted that the Special Rapporteur's
          mandate only allows her to take action when the
          perpetrators are believed to have a direct or indirect
          link with the State. She nevertheless wishes to express
          her deep concern over these atrocities, which constitute
          serious violations of basic humanitarian and human
          rights principles. Governments engaged in operations
          against armed opposition groups must ensure that their
          forces act in accordance with international standards.
          In this context, she wishes to recall that the Human
          Rights Committee, in paragraph 1 of its general
          comment No. 6 on article 6 of the International
          Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, has reaffirmed
          that the right to life is the supreme right from which
          no derogation is permitted even in time of public
          emergency which threatens the life of the nation”.
          C. Killings committed in the name of
          passion or the name of honour
          40. The Special Rapporteur is working closely with
          the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its
          causes and consequences and the Special Rapporteur
          on the independence of judges and lawyers to monitor
          incidents of honour killings” where the State either
          approves of and supports these acts, or extends a form
          of impunity to the perpetrators by giving tacit or covert
          support to the practice. In the period under review the
          Special Rapporteur received from many countries
          reports of OEonour killings”, some of which have been
          committed with impunity. The Special Rapporteur is of
          the view that honour killings” may constitute
          violations of the right to life if and when they are
          condoned or ignored by the authorities. She notes that
          some Governments have indicated their opposition to
          honour killings” and publicly condemned this
          practice. However, she remains concerned that so far
          States appear to have taken little concrete action to
          bring an end to these killings. For a more detailed
          discussion of this issue, reference is made to the
          Special Rapporteur's reports to the Commission on
          9
        
          
          AJ55/288
          Human Rights (E/CN.4/1999/39, paras. 74-75;
          E/CN.4/2000/3, paras. 78-84).
          D. Violations of the right to life of human
          rights defenders and journalists
          41. The Special Rapporteur continues to receive
          reports of death threats or extrajudicial killings
          directed against human rights defenders, including
          human rights activists, lawyers, community workers,
          teachers, journalists and other persons engaged in
          activities aimed at promoting human rights or
          publicizing human rights violations. She has received
          a list of 133 documented cases of extrajudicial killings
          or death threats directed against human rights
          defenders reported to have occurred worldwide in 1999
          alone. During the period under review, the Special
          Rapporteur transmitted urgent appeals on behalf of
          persons, institutions or organizations carrying out
          peaceful activities in defence of human rights and
          fundamental freedoms, requesting the Governments
          concerned to take the necessary measures to protect
          these persons' right to life. The Special Rapporteur
          took action on behalf of human rights defenders in the
          following countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil,
          Burkina Faso, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador,
          Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua,
          Pakistan, Peru, Sri Lanka and Yugoslavia. Many of
          these communications were sent jointly with the
          Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of
          freedom of opinion and expression.
          42. Some of the Governments approached have
          replied to the Special Rapporteur's communications
          stating that they have taken special measures to provide
          protection to the persons concerned. While it is the
          responsibility of the State to ensure the security of
          persons under threat, it must be recognized that
          protection against physical attack is not enough. Such
          measures are merely a reaction and not a solution to the
          underlying problems that give rise to an atmosphere of
          violence and intimidation. Similarly, while political
          asylum or exile may provide temporary protection for
          persons in immediate danger, it is the obligation of the
          State to ensure that security threats are addressed, so
          that these persons can return home and continue their
          human rights work.
          43. A cause for continuous concern is the situation in
          Colombia, where at least 59 human rights defenders
          were reportedly killed or received death threats in
          1999. The Special Rapporteur has also received reports
          of threats, attacks and extrajudicial killings directed
          against human rights defenders in several African
          countries, notably the Democratic Republic of the
          Congo and Cameroon. A large number of human rights
          defenders were also among the victims of the
          systematic killings carried out by pro-integrationist
          militias and Indonesian government forces in East
          Timor. Lawyers and human rights activists were also
          often singled out during the conflict in Kosovo. The
          Special Rapporteur notes with concern that journalists
          have increasingly become targeted for extrajudicial
          killings, because of their work to expose human rights
          abuses or to uncover irregularities and corruption on
          the part of persons in positions of authority.
          44. The Declaration on the Right and Responsibility
          of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to
          Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human
          Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by the
          General Assembly on 9 December 1998, is an
          important commitment on the part of the international
          community to respect and protect the rights of human
          rights defenders. At its fifty-sixth session, the
          Commission on Human Rights, in its resolution
          2000/61, requested the Secretary-General to appoint a
          special representative to report on the situation of
          human rights defenders in all parts of the world and on
          possible means to enhance their protection in full
          compliance with the Declaration. The Special
          Rapporteur welcomes this step. Many of the already
          existing thematic procedures are taking action and
          reporting on the situation of human rights defenders.
          She encourages the Special Representative of the
          Secretary-General to cooperate and coordinate her
          work with these mechanisms. The Special Rapporteur
          further believes that in order for this new mandate to be
          effective, the term human rights defender” needs to be
          understood in a broad sense, so as to include not only
          human rights workers and activists, such as members
          of non-governmental organizations, but also other
          categories of persons engaged professionally or as
          private individuals in peaceful activities for the
          protection and promotion of the rule of law and the
          rights of the people.
          E. Impunity
          45. One of the root causes of the persistent
          occurrence of grave human rights violations, including
          extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, is the
          10
        
          
          A/55/288
          State's willingness to accept a flawed legal system,
          which is unable to bring IIe perpetrators of human
          rights violations to justice. In this regard, IIe Special
          Rapporteur wishes to recall that IIe Principles on IIe
          ELective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal,
          Arbitrary and Summary Executions stipulate that States
          are obliged to investigate aft human rights violations,
          particularly IIose affecting IIe physical integrity of IIe
          victim, to bring to justice IIose responsible for such
          abuses, to pay adequate compensation to IIe victims or
          IIeir famfiies and to prevent IIe recurrence of such
          violations. This obligation is reaffirmed in oIIer
          important international human rights instruments.
          46. The most systematic and alarming situations of
          impunity occur in countries where court decisions are
          flatly overruled and ignored by IIe executive
          auIIorities, or where IIe courts have become mere
          pawns in IIe hands of Governments which condone,
          support or commit human rights abuses as a matter of
          policy. In some cases impunity for human rights
          violations may also be IIe result of lack of governance,
          when a weak and under-resourced judiciary is
          incapable of investigating and prosecuting cases of
          human rights violations, including violations of IIe
          right to life. Institutional support and technical
          assistance may in part help to address this problem, and
          IIe Special Rapporteur notes wiII appreciation that a
          number of such programmes are being carried out
          under IIe auspices of IIe Offce of IIe High
          Commissioner for Human Rights. She wishes to stress,
          however, IIat IIese eLorts can only be successful if
          IIey are accompanied by strong mechanisms to ensure
          that IIe independence of IIe judiciary is protected and
          that public offcials are held accountable for IIeir
          actions and omissions. These initiatives must also be
          backed by genuine political will to bring IIese abuses
          to an end. In situations where a consistent pattern of
          impunity has emerged, IIe justice system should be
          IIoroughly reviewed and, if found seriously wanting or
          to be defunct, replaced and reformed. As discussed
          earlier in this report, extrajudicial kiftings and acts of
          murder may sometimes also go unpunished because of
          IIe sex, religious belief; ethnicity or sexual orientation
          of IIe victim. Long-standing discrimination and
          prejudice against such groups are oifien used as a
          justification of IIese crimes.
          47. Impunity for human rights abuses may in some
          instances also result fflom laws or oIIer regulations
          explicitly exempting public off cials or certain
          categories of State agents fflom accountabfiity or
          prosecution. Such measures are oifien resorted to in
          countries facing internal unrest, and where IIe security
          forces are given wide-ranging powers in order to
          counter a real or perceived threat to national security.
          In cases where members of security forces are
          prosecuted, IIey are usually tried in military courts,
          which often faft short of international standards
          regarding IIe impartiality independence and
          competence of IIe judiciary.
          48. Situations of impunity can also arise as a result of
          amnesty laws, passed in IIe interest of national
          reconciliation when countries try to come to terms wiII
          human rights abuses of past regimes. The Special
          Rapporteur believes that IIere should and can be no
          impunity for serious human rights abuses, particularly
          violations of IIe right to life, regardless of IIe past or
          present status or position of IIe alleged perpetratot At
          IIe same time, in order to be effective and meaningful
          in fostering accountability among State officials and
          rulers, measures taken to prosecute human rights
          offenders cannot be selective or used as an instrument
          of revenge, but must be part of broader policies aimed
          at promoting peace, social stability, justice and IIe rule
          of law. As a recognition of IIe State's responsibility for
          acts carried out by its personnel, Governments have an
          obligation to provide adequate compensation to victims
          and IIe families of victims of serious human rights
          violations, including extrajudicial executions. In this
          connection, IIe Special Rapporteur wishes to
          emphasize IIat granting compensation does not reduce
          IIe duty of IIe State to investigate and prosecute
          human rights violations.
          49. The International Criminal Court, once it is
          established, has IIe potential to assume a leading role
          in IIe fight against impunity for serious and systematic
          human rights violations. The Court wfil have
          jurisdiction over serious crimes of international
          concern, including genocide, war crimes and crimes
          against humanity. The Statute of IIe Court, adopted in
          Rome on 17 July 1998, will enter into force aifier IIe
          deposit of IIe sixtieII instrument of ratification,
          acceptance, approval or accession. At IIe time of
          writing, 98 States had signed and 14 ratiffied IIe Rome
          Statute.
          50. The inabfiity or reluctance on IIe part of IIe
          auIIorities to bring an end to impunity for human
          rights oLenders seriously undermines IIe rule of law,
          and also widens IIe gap between IIose close to IIe
          1 1
        
          
          AJ55/288
          power structures and others who are vulnerable to
          human rights abuses. The increasing difficulties in
          securing justice alienate the people from the State and
          may drive them to take the law into their own hands,
          resulting in a further erosion of the justice system and a
          vicious circle of violence and retaliation. If
          unaddressed, such situations may easily degenerate into
          a state of anarchy, where armed and militant groups
          can hold both the Government and the population
          hostage. Human rights protection and respect for the
          rule of law are central to lasting peace and stability. It
          is, therefore, crucial that conflict prevention strategies
          and post-conflict peace-building efforts include
          effective measures to end the culture of impunity.
          51. During her field missions, the Special Rapporteur
          has also had the opportunity to study the problem of
          impunity for human rights offenders. While in East
          Timor she was deeply disturbed by the flagrant
          impunity with which government forces and armed
          pro-integrationist militias were allowed to commit
          large-scale and calculated extrajudicial killings. During
          her visit to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
          and Albania she heard shocking testimonies of
          atrocities attributed to Yugoslav government forces and
          State-sponsored paramilitary groups in Kosovo. In her
          report on her mission to Mexico, the Special
          Rapporteur noted that there was a particular reluctance
          among the competent Mexican authorities to make
          members of the armed forces accountable for
          extrajudicial killings and other grave human rights
          violations. Widespread impunity for extrajudicial
          killings is a cause for great alarm in Colombia, and the
          Special Rapporteur welcomes the Government's
          invitation to visit the country This mission will enable
          her to acquaint herself with the situation at first hand,
          and to formulate recommendations in order to better
          protect the right to life and address the problem of
          impunity in Colombia.
          VII. Concluding remarks and
          recommendations
          52. The Special Rapporteur hopes that the present
          report will serve to illustrate the scope and seriousness
          of the problem of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary
          executions worldwide, and that the recommendations
          presented below will inspire States to take joint and
          separate action to combat these atrocities. Declarations
          of commitment to the protection of human rights are
          only effective, and indeed meaningful, if they are
          backed by genuine political will and translated into
          concrete decisions and policies at the national level.
          In this connection, the Special Rapporteur notes with
          regret, and mounting frustration, that a large number of
          Governments continue to ignore her urgent appeals in
          individual cases and fail to respond to letters
          requesting information regarding alleged violations of
          the right to life.
          53. The Special Rapporteur would like to take this
          opportunity to express her appreciation for the
          continuous support for her mandate by the Office of the
          High Commissioner for Human Rights. However, she
          remains concerned that the precarious funding situation
          of the United Nations human rights programmes may
          jeopardize the stable and uninterrupted support for her
          mandate.
          54. The Special Rapporteur notes with regret that
          most of the recommendations presented in her earlier
          reports remain valid in the absence of concrete action
          to implement them on the part of Governments.
          Therefore, the following remarks should be read in
          conjunction with the conclusions and recommendations
          presented in her reports to the Commission on Human
          Rights (E/CN.4/1999/39, paras. 78-97; E/CN.4/2000/3,
          paras. 93-116).
          55. The global situation in regard to the respect for
          the right to life is bleak. Extrajudicial, summary or
          arbitrary executions have by no means ceased or
          decreased. They occur in every region of the world.
          The Special Rapporteur also notes with growing
          concern that steps taken in reaction to ongoing abuses
          more often than not fail to curb violence and spare
          im1ocent civilians from suffering. It is therefore
          imperative for the international community to
          concentrate its efforts on effective prevention and to
          establish early-warning mechanisms with the capacity
          to identify signs of emerging crises. These efforts
          should be guided by the scale of the human rights
          violations taking place, and not be misguided by the
          silence of those who are being oppressed.
          56. The Special Rapporteur is appalled at the
          situation in certain countries where violations of the
          right to life appear to have become an everyday
          occurrence. The Governments of such countries are
          either not prepared or lack the skills and capacity to put
          an end to these human rights violations. She further
          finds it unacceptable that some Governments insist on
          12
        
          
          AJ55/288
          cynically defending or ignoring extrajudicial killings
          committed by their security forces, especially when
          confronted with armed opposition groups.
          57. During her field visits, the Special Rapporteur has
          observed some common patterns which are conducive
          to the recurrence of extrajudicial killings, thus
          endangering the lives of the civilian population.
          Persistent impunity, disrespect for the rule of law and
          weak judicial systems provide breeding grounds for
          violence. In this environment, militant elements who
          choose the path of violence often manage to mobilize
          support among disadvantaged segments of the
          population. There are indications that in some countries
          women are increasingly joining the ranks of armed
          opposition groups, because of the extreme social,
          economic and political discrimination they are exposed
          to. Governments should respond to the grievances and
          aspirations of their female citizens and devise policies
          aimed at the empowerment of women.
          58. The Special Rapporteur is concerned over the
          growing pessimism among ordinary people living in
          countries where human rights violations occur
          regularly and with impunity. People with whom the
          Special Rapporteur spoke during her field mission
          often had little faith in peaceful political movements
          and their ability to change the situation. It was often
          pointed out to the Special Rapporteur that peaceful
          movements and their campaigns failed to attract the
          attention of national and international political actors,
          thus playing into the hands of the more militant
          movements. An arbitrary or inequitable distribution of
          economic resources and continuous discrimination on
          the basis of ethnicity, religion or other factors further
          polarize and embitter the people. In previously
          repressive States, the transition to democracy is also
          often precarious and fragile, as some groups or
          segments of the population may decide to destabilize
          the situation and express their grievances by violent
          means.
          Reconunendations
          60. The international community faces a serious
          challenge in developing and establishing effective and
          credible mechanisms for early warning and conflict
          prevention. Concrete measures must be taken without
          delay in order to avoid past mistakes and prevent
          further human rights disasters from taking place.
          61. An efficient and independent judiciary is a basic
          and crucial element of a functioning democracy As
          pointed out above and in the Special Rapporteur's
          previous reports, some of the most deeply rooted
          human rights problems caimot be resolved unless the
          countries concerned enter upon a thorough review and
          reform of their legal and judicial systems. This need is
          particularly urgent in countries in transition to
          democracy.
          62. Governments must make every possible effort to
          ensure that children are not used as pawns in armed
          conflict. Children should under no circumstances be
          targeted by government forces. The death of every
          child that dies as a result of State violence should be
          thoroughly investigated by an independent judicial
          forum, the perpetrators brought to justice and the
          results of the inquiries made public.
          63. All countries that retain the death penalty are
          urged to consider imposing a moratorium on
          executions, with a view to completely abolishing the
          death penalty. Pending the imposition of a moratorium,
          States should take immediate measures to bring their
          domestic legislation into line with international
          standards pertaining to capital punishment. The Special
          Rapporteur calls on States to ensure that capital
          punishment is not imposed for offences committed by
          persons under the age of 18. She further urges States
          not to carry out death sentences on expectant or recent
          mothers, mentally handicapped persons and elderly
          people. She finally encourages States to provide her
          and other United Nations mechanisms with detailed
          and current information on the use of the death penalty,
          as this will enable her to form a deeper and more
          comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand.
          59. In countries recovering from conflict situations,
          the process of reconciliation must fully involve
          community leaders and people at the grass-roots level.
          The media should be used to mobilize support for
          efforts aimed at peace and reconciliation.
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