Legality of Criminal Offenses and Penalties
Specific Instruments
  General Instruments
  Articles
  Websites
  Selected Case Law
  Case Law Websites
  Reports
  Books
  Periodicals
  Human Rigths Actors
Legality of Criminal Offenses and Penalties
     
Specific Instruments
Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions
Date of adoption: 24/5/1989 Entry into force: -
System of protection: Universal
Inter-American Convention on Forced Disappearance of Persons
Date of adoption: 9/6/1994 Entry into force: 28/3/1996
System of protection: Organization of American States
     
General Instruments
The Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam
Date of adoption: 5/8/1990 Entry into force: -
System of protection: Organization of the Islamic Conference
American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San Jose, Costa Rica)
Date of adoption: 22/11/1969 Entry into force: 18/7/1978
System of protection: Organization of American States
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (European Convention on Human Rights, ECHR)
Date of adoption: 4/11/1950 Entry into force: 3/9/1953
System of protection: Council of Europe
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
Date of adoption: 16/12/1966 Entry into force: 23/3/1976
System of protection: Universal
Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
Date of adoption: 7/12/2000 Entry into force: -
System of protection: European Union
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
Date of adoption: 10/12/1948 Entry into force: -
System of protection: Universal
American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man
Date of adoption: 2/5/1948 Entry into force: -
System of protection: Organization of American States
African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (Banjul Charter)
Date of adoption: 27/6/1981 Entry into force: 21/10/1986
System of protection: Organization of African Unity
     
Articles
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Languages: Arabic Chinese English French Portuguese Russian Spanish
The official site of Human Rights Watch - an independent NGO. News releases - Current events - Publications - Info by country - Campaigns - Issues -Reports - Links... Search engine. A very informative site.
Languages: English French Spanish
Documents and reports from the working group.
     
Selected Case Law
Andre Alphonse Mpaka-Nsusu v. Zaïre
Date: 26/3/1986
Decision-making body: Human Rights Committee
Legal reference: CCPR/C/27/D/157/1983
Attempt to establish a second political party in Zaire - Arbitrary detention - Persecution for political opinions - Violation of the freedom of movement and the right to participate in political life - Inadmissible based on Article 1.
Daniel Monguya Mbenge v. Zaïre
Date: 25/3/1983
Decision-making body: Human Rights Committee
Legal reference: CCPR/C/18/D/16/1977
Death penalty - Lack of effective domestic remedy - Failure to respect rules of due process - Violation of Articles 6(2), 9 and 14.
Alexander MacIsaac v. Canada
Date: 14/10/1982
Decision-making body: Human Rights Committee
Legal reference: Communication No. 55/1979 : Canada. 14/10/82. CCPR/C/17/D/55/1979
Criminal law - Freedom on parole and recidivism - Notion of victim - Hypothetical but not actual violation - Communication based on Article 15(1) - No violation.
Luciano Weinberger Weisz v. Uruguay
Date: 29/10/1980
Decision-making body: Human Rights Committee
Legal reference: CCPR/C/11/D/28/1978
Arbitrary arrest and detention - Cruel treatment - Deprivation of the right to participate in political activities for 15 years - Violation of articles 7, 9, 10, 14, 15, 19, 25 - Excessive restriction on the political rights of a criminal offender.
Edgardo Dante Santullo Valcada v. Uruguay
Date: 26/10/1979
Decision-making body: Human Rights Committee
Legal reference: CCPR/C/8/D/9/1977
Arrest and arbitrary detention - Positive obligation on the state - Habeas corpus - Violation of Articles 2 and 9 - No violation of Article 7 (torture).
Ricardo Baena Case (No. 72)
Date: 3/2/2001
Decision-making body: Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Legal reference: Ricardo Baena, Decision and Judgement. IACHR Series C. N° 72. February 3, 2001. (See also No. 61)
Dismissal of 270 public officials - Right to strike and freedom of association - Retroactive legislation - Violation of articles 9 (Freedom from ex post facto laws), 8 and 25 (Judicial guarantees and protection).
     
Case Law Websites
Commonwealth Human Rights Case Law Database (The)
Languages: English
Allows you to browse or search for summaries of recent human rights decisions from national courts in Commonwealth jurisdictions.
Council of Europe - Human Rights Web
Languages: English French
Search the case-law of the European Convention on Human Rights control bodies.
Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Languages: English Spanish
Search the case law of the Inter-American Court.
International Human Rights Law Database (The)
Languages: English
A resource for those seeking summaries and commentaries on international human rights case law, the database allows searches by text, 47 subjects, 81 states, 9 treaties, 9 decisionmaking bodies, and date. A powerful and quick database.
Repertorio de Jurisprudencia del Sistema Interamericano de Derechos Humanos
Languages: Spanish
Directory of the case law of the Inter-American Court 1980 - 1997.
     
Reports
Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions
HCDH / OHCHR Date: inconnue
Reference: Fact Sheet No. 11 (Rev.1)
Source: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
The human rights Fact Sheet Series is published by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva.
     
Books
La Grèce devant la Cour européenne des droits de l'homme
P. Lambert Ed.
Reference: Bruxelles, Droit & Justice, Bruylant, 2003
Languages:
Analysis of the European Court of Human Right's case-law concerning Greece.
     
Periodicals
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Human Rights Actors
Committe on the Administration of Justice (CAJ)
http://www.caj.org.uk/ Type:NGO (Non-Governmental Organization)
CAJ seeks to secure the highest standards in the administration of justice in Northern Ireland by ensuring that the government complies with its responsibilities in international human rights law.
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ()
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu6/2/fs26.htm Type:United Nations System
Only non-treaty-based mechanism whose mandate provides for consideration of individual complaints - Investigates detention imposed arbitrarily or otherwise inconsistently with international standards - Seeks and receives information - Annual report.