Latest news with #InternationalConventionfortheProtectionofAllPersonsfromEnforcedDisappearance
Filipino Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Marcos open to discussing ICC return, UN expert's human rights recommendations under study
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is open to discussing the recommendations of a United Nations expert on improving the country's human rights situation, including the possible return of the Philippines to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a press briefing that while there are no formal discussions yet, the president has previously indicated openness to rejoining the ICC. 'Open po siya. No'ng huli po kaming nag-usap… sinabi niya open naman po siya,' Castro said, emphasizing that this was based on past conversations with the president. [Translation: He's open. During our last talk—since this has come up before—he told me he's open to it.] Marcos earlier said the matter of rejoining the ICC remains under study. The Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, in 2018 during the Duterte administration. The withdrawal took effect in 2019. Former President Rodrigo Duterte is currently detained by the ICC over alleged crimes against humanity tied to his administration's war on drugs. The potential return to the ICC is one of several recommendations made by UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan, who visited the Philippines in 2024 to assess the state of freedom of opinion and expression. Khan's full report, released this week, acknowledged reforms taken under the Marcos administration but said these are not enough to fully move on from past abuses. 'The government must embark on more significant legal, policy, and institutional changes to demonstrate its commitment to freedom of expression,' Khan said. She also urged the Philippines to ratify key human rights treaties, including the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Among her more controversial proposals was the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), citing its role in red-tagging and other alleged violations. Khan recommended that the government adopt an executive order to formally denounce red-tagging and implement accountability measures for those who engage in the practice. Castro said the administration welcomes the international recognition of its current human rights efforts, and affirmed that the president would carefully study Khan's recommendations. 'Ang suggestion ng UN rapporteur, ito ay magandang suggestion… Pag-aaralan po ito ng mabuti ng pangulo,' she said. [Translation: The UN rapporteur's suggestions are good… The president will study these carefully.]
The Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Marcos open to talks on Philippines rejoining International Criminal Court, says Malacanang
MANILA: (Bernama-PNA) Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is open to discussions on the country possibly rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC), a Palace official said Thursday (June 19), the Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported. This comes amid renewed international calls for accountability over past human rights violations. The suggestion was raised in a report to the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which runs from June to July. UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan urged the Philippines to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and to restore its membership in the ICC's Rome Statute. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the recommendation was a "good suggestion' and confirmed that President Marcos would study it carefully. "She suggested we consider rejoining the ICC and ratifying other international human rights laws. "The President is open to the idea. The last time we discussed this, he made it clear he is willing to look into it,' Castro said during a press briefing at Malacanang. The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in March 2019 under former president Rodrigo Duterte. The move followed the court's decision to investigate alleged abuses linked to his anti-narcotics campaign. Despite the withdrawal, the ICC maintains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while the Philippines was still a member. Duterte is currently detained at the ICC headquarters in The Hague. He is awaiting trial for alleged crimes against humanity. Castro also said the Marcos administration's efforts to strengthen human rights are gaining recognition abroad. "We are pleased that the President's initiatives are being acknowledged internationally,' she said. "These include measures to address enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings that occurred under the previous administration.' - Bernama-PNA
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
UN rapporteur urges PH to ratify int'l human rights treaties, return to ICC
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression has called on the Philippine government to ratify international human rights treaties and restore its past ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. In a report on the Philippines to the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council from slated from June to July 2025, Special Rapporteur Irene Khan also urged the country to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. "In the light of the history of enforced disappearances, unlawful killings and persistent impunity in the Philippines, the Special Rapporteur encourages the Government to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and to open discussions for re-accession to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court," Khan's report said. "Both instruments would significantly enhance human rights protection and support the enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression," it added. Khan acknowledged the vibrant civil society and diverse media landscape in the Philippines, as well as the serious threats and challenges they face. "While acknowledging the measures taken by the Government since it took office in June 2022, the Special Rapporteur finds that they have not been sufficient," the report read. Khan urged the Philippine government to carry out substantive legal, policy, and institutional reforms to strengthen freedom of expression, end the intimidation and harassment of, threats to, and attacks on journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society actors. "Since June 2022, the Government has taken some measures to end the horrendous attacks on human rights by the previous administration, especially on freedom of expression, but they have not been enough to turn the page decisively on the past," the report read. Khan said the Philippines must embark on more significant legal, policy, and institutional changes to demonstrate its commitment to freedom of expression. "Releasing those unfairly detained or prosecuted and completing the investigation into and prosecution of killings and enforced disappearances, including the cases raised by the Special Rapporteur in her communications, would send a strong signal of the Government's readiness to move away from the past," the report read. –NB, GMA Integrated News
Local Sweden
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Local Sweden
Swedish inquiry calls for official state apology to international adoptees
Sweden should ban international adoptions, set up a national centre to provide resources for adoptees and provide up to 14,700 kronor for them to travel to their country of origin, an inquiry has proposed. Advertisement The inquiry head, civil law professor Anna Singer, told a press conference that there have been 'irregularities' in international adoptions to Sweden. 'There are confirmed cases of child trafficking in every decade from the 1970s to the 2000s, for the most part in private and individual adoptions,' she said. 'There are confirmed cases from Sri Lanka and Colombia in the 70s and 80s, Poland in the 90s and China in the 90s and 2000s.' She added that children were 'in a number of cases' adopted without voluntary and informed consent from their biological parents. 'Children have been declared dead, given up for adoption by someone other than their parents, and in some cases handed over by parents who have not understood the consequences of consenting to international adoption.' Even in cases where the documentation has been correct, Singer said, an adoption to Sweden was not always necessarily the best solution for the child. Advertisement Singer called for Sweden to ratify the UN's International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which despite being signed by Sweden in 2007 is still being processed by Swedish government offices. In addition to this, the inquiry called for Sweden to issue a public apology, admitting the human rights violations which occurred as a result of international adoptions as well as apologising for the consequences these have inflicted on adoptees and their families. It also proposed setting up a national resource centre for adoptees, offering therapy, support for adoptees wishing to find out more about their origins, support in cases where the adoptee or their adoptive parents suspects that 'irregularities' have occurred, and advice online and by telephone with issues surrounding archives, DNA testing and legal questions. On top of this, the inquiry proposes offering up to 14,700 kronor to adoptees wishing to travel to their country of origin. 'When it comes to international adoptions in the future, my proposal is that the practice of mediating children for adoption to Sweden is stopped,' she added. International adoptions in cases where there is already an existing relationship between the adoptee and their prospective adoptive parents would still be permitted, she said. International adoptions have taken place in Sweden since around the 1950s, and the number of currently living people in Sweden who were adopted from other countries is estimated to be just under 60,000. This includes adoptions which took place abroad and people who were not adopted as children. International adoptions were most common in the 70s and 80s, with the number falling significantly in recent years. Adoptions to Sweden have taken place from most countries worldwide. The country with the most adoptions is South Korea, followed by India, Colombia, China, Sri Lanka, Chile, Thailand, Vietnam, Poland, Ethiopia and Russia. If Sweden were to ban international adoption, it would be the latest in a series of countries that have gone down a similar path, including Norway, the Netherlands and Denmark.
Jordan News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Jordan News
A Humanitarian Tragedy: 219 Palestinian Journalists Killed in Gaza Since Start of War - Jordan News
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate has condemned the Israeli occupation forces for continuing their systematic policy of targeting and killing journalists, committing repeated massacres against them and their families. These acts have led to the death of 219 journalists and media workers, according to a report published Sunday by the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA). اضافة اعلان The report states that among the 219 killed, 30 were female journalists, and one journalist was killed in the West Bank. The occupation continues to target Palestinian journalists and their families, particularly in the Gaza Strip. Since October 7, 2023, at least 430 journalists have been wounded by Israeli gunfire and missile attacks, and no fewer than 685 family members of journalists in Gaza have been killed. 1,000 Displaced Journalists The Syndicate reported that around 1,000 journalists in Gaza are living in conditions of repeated displacement from the north to the south of the strip. They face severe hardships due to lack of safety, constant targeting of their shelters by Israeli airstrikes, and dire living conditions, including the absence of electricity and internet, which hinders their ability to work. In coordination with prisoner rights organizations, the Syndicate also documented the arrest of 180 journalists by Israeli authorities since October 2023. This number includes 17 female journalists, all of whom have since been released, and 39 journalists from Gaza. 42 journalists have been sentenced to administrative detention, while 48 remain in custody across the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem and Gaza. Additionally, six journalists arrested before October 2023 are still detained. Enforced Disappearance The Syndicate stressed that Israel continues the practice of enforced disappearance of Palestinian journalists. It cited the cases of journalists Nidal Al-Wahidi and Haitham Abdulwahid, whose fate remains unknown. This constitutes a complete crime of enforced disappearance in violation of international and humanitarian law, including the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which entered into force in 2010. 115 Media Institutions Destroyed As part of its war on the media and efforts to suppress the truth, Israel has launched widespread air and ground attacks that have destroyed 115 media institutions in the Gaza Strip. This includes the entirety of Gaza's media infrastructure. In the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, Israel has shut down five media outlets and destroyed or closed 12 printing presses. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate affirmed its commitment to continue working with all international human rights and media organizations to protect journalists, ensure accountability for crimes committed, and stop what it described as Israel's genocidal war against Palestinian journalism. The Syndicate concluded that Israel has committed the largest massacre against the press in modern history.
