Publications

Les parties civiles devant la Cour Pénale Spéciale (« CPS ») sont victimes de violations graves du droit international. Par conséquent, les réparations symboliques ou morales, à elles seules, ne sont pas suffisantes pour remédier au préjudice subi. Le Règlement de procédure et preuve («RPP ») risquerait d’être en contradiction avec le CPP centrafricain et en violation des obligations internationales de la République Centrafricaine s'il devait restreindre la portée des réparations qui seraient appropriées pour réparer le préjudice subis par les parties civiles. Il est primordial que le RPP fournisse un cadre juridique pour que les victimes obtiennent réparation et que ce cadre soit conforme au droit international et réponde aux droits et attentes des victimes.

This report, co-authored by REDRESS and Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF), summarises the proceedings of a workshop on victim and witness protection at the International Crimes Division (ICD), the first domestic court in Uganda to try international crimes. Participants included ICD judges, registrar, prosecutors, and victims’ counsel, alongside national and international experts, who discussed which measures can be put in place to ensure the safety and well-being of victims and witnesses throughout the process despite the lack of protection laws and national protection mechanism.

Ce rapport a été rédigé par The Redress Trust (REDRESS) avec la contribution de la Fédération Internationale des ligues des Droits de l’Homme (FIDH), la Ligue Centrafricaine des Droits de l ‘Homme (LCDH) et l’Observatoire Centrafricain des Droits de l’Homme (OCDH) (ci-après les Organisations). Ce rapport présente une analyse de la conformité des règles de procédure pénale centrafricaines aux standards internationaux sur les droits des victimes et formule des recommandations sur la façon dont le Règlement de Procédure et de Preuve (RPP)  pourrait combler certaines lacunes. Le rapport vise à identifier comment les droits des victimes pourraient être pris en compte de façon adéquate par le projet de RPP, sur la base des dispositions existantes en droit centrafricain ainsi que des standards internationaux.

This report analyses the steps taken by specialist bodies, UN organs and agencies as well as other international organisations engaged in peacekeeping to address victims' rights and needs following allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers in countries including the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Haiti. It calls for fundamental changes to the way in which these cases are handled, with particular need for the recognition of victims right holders, rather than vulnerable recipients of charity or benevolence.

REDRESS, together with the World Organisation against Torture, the International Federation for Human Rights, and Fair Trials, sent this letter to the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with Iran, in order to raise serious concerns about the well-being of a number of European dual nationals detained in Iran.  

In this submission, REDRESS provides observations concerning the provision of legal aid for victims at the International Criminal Court (ICC), so as to ensure their meaningful and effective access to justice. These comments build on and complement REDRESS's previous recommendations in 2012, and are submitted to the Registry in order to assist the ongoing review of the Court’s Legal Aid System (LAS). These comments have been developed on the basis of REDRESS's extensive experience working with victims at the ICC, and includes interviews with legal representatives of victims and civil society actors.

The African Union adopted a resolution in 2016 establishing the Trust Fund responsible for collecting and disbursing reparations to victims of ex-Chad dictator Hissène Habré. The Trust Fund has been mandated to search for and recover Habré’s assets and to seek voluntary contributions from States and other willing parties. This note – prepared by REDRESS and the Association Tchadienne pour la Paix et les Droits de l’Homme (ATPDH) – seeks to support the establishment of the Trust Fund for Victims by outlining what future Terms of Reference of the Trust Fund could look like. It was shared with the African Union Office of Legal Affairs and other key stakeholders involved in the establishment of the Trust Fund in April 2016.  

REDRESS, in collaboration with eight human rights organisations, has submitted joint observations on the revised General Comment No. 1 (2017) on the implementation of Article 3 of the Convention Against Torture, which enshrines the prohibition of refoulement. The revised General Comment will be a critically important tool for States parties in implementing Article 3, by providing guidance on the full scope of their obligations in relation to the prohibition of removing persons to States where they risk torture or other prohibited treatment.