In March 2009, the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the first time issued an arrest warrant against President of Sudan Omar Al Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity. It was a landmark event in 2009 demonstrating that everyone should be equal against the law,” said John Peder Egenæs (picture below), Secretary General of Amnesty International Norway, launching Amnesty’s annual report.

No one should be above the law. But all too often, those who commit the worst kinds of human rights abuses are not brought to justice. The world’s leaders must do much more to protect people’s rights. The Amnesty International Report 2010 exposes some of the worst abuses committed around the world.

World in numbers
Amnesty’s annual report provides an overview of the human rights situation in 159 countries in 2009.

Agency documents:
– People Tortured or otherwise Ill-Treated in at least 111 countries;
– Lack of prosecution of torturers in 61 countries;
– Unfair trials in at least 55 countries;
– Restrictions on freedom of expression in at least 96 countries;
– Prisoners of conscience in jail for at least 48 countries;
– Human rights activists and organizations were persecuted in many countries;
– Prisoners of conscience were held in jail in 42% of the G20 countries. In comparison, 30% of all countries in the world had prisoners of conscience in jail;
– 53% of the G20 countries had restrictions on freedom of expression. In comparison, this occurred in 60% of all countries in the world.
– 47% of the G20 countries conducted unfair trials in 2008. In comparison, unfair were carried out in 35% of all countries in the world.

“All countries” refers to the 159 countries covered in the report. “G-20” covers the 19 country members but excludes the European Union.

State leaders prosecuted
– The International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is historic. For the first time the International Criminal Court removed an indictment against a sitting president with crimes against humanity and war crimes, “said John Peder Egenæs, Secretary General of Amnesty International in Norway.

A number of other cases against state leaders in 2009 contributed to an important development of international law:

Many Latin American courts and governments have reopened investigations of crimes which for decades have been protected by amnesty laws.

Peru’s former President Alberto Fujimori (picture below) was convicted of crimes against humanity.

Argentine prosecutors began presenting evidence in one of the most important trials since the demise of the military government (1976-1983) involving 17 members of the armed forces and police charged with torture, enforced disappearance and murder at the notorious Escuela Superior de Mecįnica de la Armada (Naval Mechanics School).

Sierra Leone, for example, came closer to reconciliation with its past in 2009 as all trials in the Special Court for Sierra Leone were concluded apart from that of former President of Liberia Charles Taylor, which was ongoing.

And in Asia, one of Cambodia’s most notorious Khmer Rouge commanders, Kaing Guek Eav (picture on the left), finally faced trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed more than 30 years ago.

An Italian court convicted 22 CIA operatives, one US Air Force officer and two Italian military intelligence agents in November for their involvement in the 2003 abduction of Usama Mustafa Hassan Nasr (Abu Omar) a street in Milan in connection with the US-led “war on terror”.

– Year 2009 shows that leaders and other power brokers can no longer be assured that they are above the law. It gives a clear signal to political heavyweights that they will be held responsible for violating human rights. We also know that the criminal prosecution of offenders is an important tool in reparation and rehabilitation of victims of abuse, says Egenæs.

International companies
There is a growing awareness that non-state actors, as international companies, must also be accountable for their human rights violations. Some of these tag things happened in 2009:

– In June, the oil company Royal Delta Shell agreed to pay $ 15,500,000 to people who have had their livelihoods destroyed as a result of oil spills in the Niger Delta in Nigeria.

– the oil-trading company Trafigura agreed a US$45 million out of court settlement with some 30,000 people affected by the dumping of toxic waste in Abidjan in Cōte d’Ivoire. More than 100,000 people sought medical attention for a range of health problems and there were 15 reported deaths.

Challenges
– Although many are held responsible under international law, millions of people are forced to continue to live in a reality marked by violence, oppression and poverty, “said John Peder Egenæs.

By the end of 2009 111 states had ratified the Rome Statute as a basis for the International Criminal Court (ICC), but only 12 of the G20 countries.

– It’s a great challenge that powerful states do not support the ICC and thus undermine international criminal justice measures and effective international scrutiny,” notes Egenæs and continues:

– Amnesty International demands that the G20 countries like USA, the People´s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, Turkey, India, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia recognize that no one should be above the law by joining the ICC.

The U.S. has not shut down the Guantanamo prison camp, despite Obama’s promises of accession as president and no one is held responsible for human rights violations that have occurred in the US-led “war on terror”.

the People´s Republic of China has been imposed the secrecy surrounding abuse and death sentences against the Uighurs as a result of demonstrations in Xinjiang province in the summer of 2009.

26 000 people have still not been able to return safely back to their homes after the Russia-Georgia conflict in 2008. These examples join the ranks of liability for abuses that G20 countries are guilty of, according to Amnesty.

Another challenge is that the powerful States are undermining the law by protecting their allies against the investigation. The well-known Goldstone report, prepared on behalf of the UN Human Rights Council, showed in accordance with Amnesty’s findings that both the Israeli military and Hamas and other Palestinian factions had unlawfully killed and injured civilians during the 22-day conflict in Gaza in January 2009. Neither Israel nor Hamas has so far followed the recommendations of the report.

Norway‘s role
– Norway is a major supporter of efforts to strengthen international law, and was instrumental in creating the ICC. But respect for international law is also about what we do at home. So far only one person has been convicted in Norway for war crimes. There are probably many more people in Norway who are responsible for war crimes and should be investigated and punished in Norway. It is important that KRIPOS (a Norwegian special police division under the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police) secured sufficient resources to investigate them, and that Norwegian authorities have the will and courage to arrest and investigate politicians and military who are in Norway,” concludes John Peder Egenæs of Amnesty International.

This article was based on Amnesty International Norway and Amnesty International information. Here you can find the Amnesty International “Report 2010: State of the World’s Human Rights”.