LPHR has made a submission to the accountability study being conducted by UN Special Rapporteur Michael Lynk.
The submission incorporates ten substantive and concise LPHR publications covering a broad range of issues materially relevant to the crucial issue of accountability. They are grouped under the following four topics:
- Application of international law duties owed by states in response to a serious breach, including suggested substantive recommendations in the context of imminent annexation and ongoing settlement expansion, and a review of the bill going through the Irish parliament that has the object of banning the import into Ireland of settlement products, the provision of a settlement service and the extraction of resources from occupied territory
- Individual criminal responsibility, including corresponding responsibilities on states in the context of universal jurisdiction, immunities, and the International Criminal Court
- Pursuing accountability and compliance in the context of business and human rights, including the UN database, LPHR’s use of a ‘soft law’ complaint mechanism provided by the OECD, and responsibilities of local government as an organ of the state to adhere to international law obligations and to protect and promote human rights
- Responsibilities of international organisations involved in internationally wrongful conduct, with critical legal and human rights scrutiny on the role of the United Nations as a party to the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism which is materially relevant from an accountability perspective
The LPHR publications and submission were prepared by LPHR Executive Committee members, Alamara Khwaja Bettum, Angelina Nicolaou, Natalie Sedacca, Rebecca Nguyen van Thuy, Claire Jeffwitz, Emma Fullerton and LPHR Director, Tareq Shrourou.
LPHR attaches paramount importance to the topic of accountability in recognition that critically required progress in human rights protection will not be realised without effective accountability for serious violations.
LPHR’s submission is an accessible and wide-ranging resource on accountability. Please feel welcome to read it here.