The Procedural Aspects of International Law Institute

A 397334

Human Rights Protectionfor Refugees;,Asylum-Seekers, andInternally Displaced Persons

A Guide to International Mechanisms andProcedures

Joan FitzpatrickEditor

Transnational Publishers, Inc.Ardsley, New York

Contents

Acknowledgments xxi

Editor's Foreword xxiii

Contributors xxv

Table of Abbreviations xxix

Chapter 1. The Human Rights of Refugees,Asylum-Seekers, and InternallyDisplaced Persons: A Basic IntroductionJOAN FITZPATRICK 1

1. Introduction 12. Who Are Refugees, Asylum-Seekers,

and Internally Displaced Persons? 33. Identifying Rights at Risk and Framing a

Human Rights Claim 63.1 The Right to Life and to Physical Integrity 83.2 Equality and Non-Discrimination 93.3 Personal Liberty 103.4 Other Civil and Political Rights 113.5 Freedom of Movement 113.6 The Right to Family Life 133.7 Social and Economic Rights 143.8 The Need for Documents 143.9 Property Rights 15

4. A Basic Primer on the Nature of InternationalHuman Rights Law and the Varied Functions ofEnforcement Bodies 154.1 The Nature of International Human

Rights Law 16

vi Human Rights Protection for Displaced Persons

4.1.1 Treaties4.1.2 Customary Law

4.2 Differing Mandates and Powers ofHuman Rights Mechanisms

5. ConclusionBibliography

1618

182021

Chapter 2. Protection Under the ComplaintProcedures of the United NationsTreaty Bodies 23ANNE BAYEFSKY, STEPHANIE FARRIOR,KAREN HANRAHAN, AND ANDREW LANGHAM

1. Brief Overview of Individual Complaints UnderInternational Human Rights Treaties 23

2. Admissibility Criteria for Individual Complaints 262.1 Jurisdiction Ratione Personae—

Eligible Complaints 262.1.1 Who Can Bring a Complaint? 262.1.2 Against Whom May a Complaint

Be Filed? 302.2 Jurisdiction Ratione Materiae—

What Must the Complaint Concern? 312.3 Jurisdiction Ratione Temporis—When Must

the Alleged Violation Have Occurred? 332.4 Jurisdiction Ratione Loci—Where Must the

Violation Have Occurred? 352.5 Must Domestic Remedies Have Been

Exhausted? 362.6 Are There Any Time Limits for Bringing

a Complaint? 412.7 Concurrent and Successive Jurisdiction 412.8 Other Admissibility Criteria 43

2.8.1 Anonymity 432.8.2 Abuse of the Right to Submit a

Communication 442.8.3 Incompatibility with the Provisions

of the Treaty—Manifestly IU-FoundedComplaint 44

2.9 Checklist for Submissions 443. Substantive Rights and Significant Jurisprudence 45

3.1 Protection Under the 1966 InternationalCovenant on Civil and Political Rights 453.1.1 The Right to Life and Physical

Integrity 48

Contents vii

3.1.2 Equality and Non-Discrimination 523.1.3 Personal Liberty 563.1.4 Right to a Fair Trial and Due

Process of Law 593.1.5 Right to Vote and Participate

in the Political Process 603.1.6 Freedom of Religion 603.1.7 Freedom of Expression 613.1.8 Freedom of Association 623.1.9 Freedom of Movement 633.1.10 The Right to Family and

Private Life 683.1.11 Right to a Nationality 703.1.12 Recognition as a Person Before

the Law 703.1.13 Prohibition of Trafficking of

Women and Girls and Exploitationof Prostitution 71

3.1.14 Economic and Social Rights of theChild 72

3.1.15 Economic and Social Rights ThroughEquality Before the Law and EqualProtection of the Law 73

3.2 Protection Under the 1984 ConventionAgainst Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumanor Degrading Treatment or Punishment 733.2.1 The Right to Physical and

Mental Integrity—ProhibitionAgainst Torture 76

3.2.2 Equality and Non-Discrimination 823.2.3 Personal Liberty 833.2.4 Right to a Fair Trial and Due

Process of Law 833.2.5 Freedom of Movement 83

3.3 Protection Under the 1965 Conventionon the Elimination of All Forms of RacialDiscrimination 843.3.1 The Right to Life and Physical

Integrity 873.3.2 Equality and Non-Discrimination 883.3.3 Personal Liberty 893.3.4 Right to a Fair Trial and Due

Process of Law 893.3.5 Right to Vote and Participate in the

Political Process 89

viii Human Rights Protection for Displaced Persons

3.3.6 Freedom of Religion 893.3.7 Freedom of Expression 893.3.8 Freedom of Association 903.3.9 Freedom of Movement 903.3.10 Right to Family and Private Life 913.3.11 Right to a Nationality 913.3.12 Right to Shelter/Housing 923.3.13 Right to Health Care 923.3.14 Right to Education 923.3.15 Right to Work 923.3.16 Right to Social Support 933.3.17 Property Rights 933.3.18 Additional Issues 94

3.4 Protection Under the 1979 Conventionon the Elimination of All Forms ofDiscrimination Against Women and the1999 Optional Protocol 953.4.1 Definition of "Discrimination

Against Women" 953.4.2 The Right to Life and Physical

Integrity 97

3.5

3.4.33.4.4

3.4.5

3.4.63.4.73.4.83.4.93.4.10

3.4.113.4.12

3.4.133.4.143.4.153.4.163.4.17

Equality and Non-DiscriminationRight to a Fair Trial and DueProcess of LawRight to Vote and Participate in thePolitical ProcessFreedom of ReligionFreedom of ExpressionFreedom of AssociationFreedom of MovementThe Right to Family andPrivate LifeRights Regarding NationalityRight to Food, Clothing andShelterAccess to Health CareRight to EducationEmployment RightsEqual Rights in Economic LifeProperty Rights

Additional Relevant Articles in theWomen's Convention3.5.1 Temporary Measures to

Accelerate Equality

99

101

101101102102102

102103

104104105106107107

107

107

Contents ix

3.5.2 Obligation to Modify Social andCultural Patterns of Conduct 108

3.6 Other Relevant International HumanRights Treaties 1083.6.1 1989 Convention on the Rights

of the Child 1083.6.2 1966 International Covenant on

Economic, Social and CulturalRights 110

4. Additional Considerations 1114.1 Interim Measures 1114.2 Remedies 1144.3 Confidentiality 1184.4 Legal Aid 119

5. Strengths and Weaknesses of the UN TreatyMechanisms for Individual Complaints 1195.1 Finding of a Violation by an

International Body 1205.2 Publicity 1205.3 Moral Vindication 1205.4 Role for Individuals 1215.5 May Prevent Expulsion or Deportation 1215.6 Limits on Availability of Mechanism 1215.7 Lengthy Time Between Filing and Decision 1225.8 The Issue of the Binding Nature of Opinions 123

6. Other Advocacy Possibilities 1236.1 State Reporting Procedure 1246.2 General Comments and Recommendations

of the Treaty Bodies 1256.3 Inquiry Procedure 126

6.3.1 Torture Convention 1266.3.2 Women's Convention 127

Bibliography 128

Chapter 3. The United Nations Charter-BasedMechanisms 137CAMILLE GIFFARD AND MEAGAN HRLE

1. Introduction 1372. Setting the Context 138

2.1 Context in Which the Charter-BasedMechanisms Function 138

2.2 Why Are Charter-Based MechanismsRelevant to Refugees, Asylum-Seekers,and Internally Displaced Persons? 143

x Human Rights Protection for Displaced Persons

2.2.1 As Individual ComplaintMechanisms 144

2.2.2 As Advocacy Tools 1443. How Do The Charter-Based Mechanisms Work

and What Can You Achieve by Using Them? 1443.1 What Are the Special Procedures of the

Commission on Human Rights? 1453.2 How Do the Special Procedures Work? 1463.3 What Can You Achieve by Submitting

Information in the Context of theSpecial Procedures? 148

4. What Mechanisms Are Available and How Can YouIdentify Which Ones May Apply in Your Case? 1504.1 Available Mechanisms 1504.2 Identifying Applicable Mechanisms:

Case Studies 1565. Once You Have Identified the Available

Mechanisms, How Do You Go about Using Them? 1635.1 Common Aspects 163

5.1.1 Practical Considerations 1635.1.2 General Characteristics of a

Communication 1655.1.3 Submitting Information in Cases of

Imminent Deportation 1685.2 The Special Procedures of the Commission

on Human Rights'" 1695.2.1 Thematic Procedures 1695.2.2 Country-Specific Procedures 220

6. How Effective Are the Mechanisms? 2226.1 Thematic Procedures 2226.2 Country-Specific Procedures 2266.3 Concluding Note 226

7. Other Advocacy Possibilities in the Contextof the UN Charter Organs 2237.1 Additional Mechanisms 223

7.1.1 1503 Procedure 2237.1.2 Sub-Commission on the Promotion

and Protection of Human Rights 2327.1.3 Commission on the Status of

Women 2347.2 Advocacy and Lobbying: Influencing the

UN Charter Organs at the Decision-MakingLevel 235

Contents xi

7.2.1 Where Does an AdvocacyCampaign Begin? 236

7.2.2 What Are the Potential Results ofAdvocacy Efforts? 239

7.2.3 How Can NGOs Intervene in theCommission and Sub-Commission? 244

Bibliography 248

Chapter 4. African Regional MechanismsThat Can Be Utilized on Behalf of theForcibly Displaced 259CHIDI ANSELM ODINKALU AND MONETTE ZARD

1. Introduction 2592. African Regional Mechanisms 262

2.1 The Organization of African Unity (OAU) 2622.1.1 The 1981 African Charter on

Human and Peoples' Rights 2632.1.2 The African Commission on

Human and Peoples' Rights 2672.1.3 African Court of Human and

Peoples' Rights 2752.1.4 The African Committee of

Experts on the Rights andWelfare of the Child 277

2.2 The OAU Division for Refugees, DisplacedPersons, and Humanitarian Assistance 279

2.3 The OAU Mechanism for ConflictPrevention, Management, and Resolution 282

3. Sub-Regional Mechanisms 2833.1 The Economic Community of West African

States (ECOWAS) 2833.1.1 Aims and Objectives of the

ECOWAS 2853.1.2 Institutions of the Community 2873.1.3 The ECOWAS, Human Rights,

and Migration 2873.1.4 The Community Court of Justice 289

3.2 L'Union Economique et Monetaire del'Afrique de l'Ouest (UEMOA) 2903.2.1 Aims and Objectives of the

UEMOA 2913.2.2 Institutions of the Union 2913.2.3 The UEMOA, Human Rights,

and Migration 292

xii Human Rights Protection for Displaced Persons

3.2.4 The Community Court of Justice3.3 The Inter-Governmental Authority on

Development (IGAD)3.3.1 The IGAD Institutions3.3.2 The IGAD, Human Rights, and

Migration3.3.3 The IGAD Conflict Resolution

Mechanism3.4 The East African Community (EAC)

3.4.13.4.2

3.4.3

The EAC InstitutionsThe EAC, Human Rights, andMigrationThe EAC Community Court ofJustice

3.5 The Southern African DevelopmentCommunity (SADC)3.5.13.5.23.5.3

3.5.43.5.5

Aims and Objectives of the SADCInstitutions of the SADCThe SADC, Human Rights, andMigrationThe SADC and GenderThe SADC Tribunal

3.6 The African Economic Community (AEC)3.6.13.6.2

ObjectivesInstitutions

3.7 The African Union4. ConclusionBibliography

Chapter 5. European Human Rights Mechanisms 315DIANE ATKINSON-SANFORD

1. Introduction 3151.1 Avenues of Redress in Europe 3161.2 A Note on the Charter of Fundamental

Rights of the European Union 3162. Advocacy 318

2.1 Individual Petition Mechanisms in Europe:The European Court of Human Rights 318

2.2 Some Background on the ECHR andthe Court 3182.2.1 Institutional Framework of the

Court 3192.2.2 Checklist: Are You Ready and Willing

to Bring a Case Before the Court? 320

2.2.3

2.2.42.2.52.2.62.2.72.2.82.2.92.2.10

Contents

Interpreting the Checklist: What DoThese Considerations Mean?Interim MeasuresFriendly SettlementJust SatisfactionOther Considerations: Legal AidLegal RepresentationLanguage ConsiderationsEnforcing the Court's Judgments—Effectiveness of Remedies

Admissibility Criteria

X I I I

321321322324330331331

3323342.3

2.3.1 Jurisdiction Ratione Personae—Who Is Liable and Who CanBe Sued? 334

2.3.2 Jurisdiction Ratione Materiae—What Must the Complaint Concern? 334

2.3.3 Jurisdiction Ratione Temporis—When Must the Alleged EventsHave Occurred? 345

2.3.4 Jurisdiction Ratione Loci—WhereMust the Alleged Violation HaveOccurred? 346

2.3.5 Must Domestic Remedies HaveBeen Exhausted? 347

2.3.6 Other Admissibility Criteria 3532.3.7 Submitting the Application to the

Court 3532.3.8 Timeline for Making an Application

to the Court 3543. ECHR Jurisprudence and Refugees,

Asylum-Seekers, and IDPs 3593.1 The Right to Life and Physical Integrity 362

3.1.1 The Prohibition on the Takingof Life 363

3.1.2 Positive Obligations underArticle 2—Failure to Enforce theCriminal Law 369

3.1.3 Failure to Investigate or Prosecute 3713.1.4 Extradition, Expulsion, and

Article 2 3733.2 Torture and Inhuman and Degrading

Treatment 3733.2.1 Standard of Proof 3743.2.2 Torture 374

xiv Human Rights Protection for Displaced Persons

3.2.3 Inhuman Treatment 3743.2.4 Degrading Treatment 3753.2.5 Article 3 and Extradition,

Expulsion, and Deportation—Non-Refoulement 376

3.2.6 Non-Derogability of Article 3 3793.2.7 Capital Punishment and Article 3 3803.2.8 Health Care and Article 3 381

3.3 Article 8—The Right to Private Life 3823.4 Equality and Non-discrimination 2823.5 Personal Liberty 385

3.5.1 Article 5 and Internally DisplacedPersons 385

3.5.2 Article 5 and Asylum-Seekers andRefugees 385

3.6 Right to a Fair Trial and Due Process of Law 3883.6.1 Article 6—The Right to a Fair Trial

and Asylum Applications 3883.6.2 Procedural Protections for Aliens

Facing Expulsion, Article 1Protocol 7 389

3.6.3 The Right to a Fair Trial 3903.7 The Right to Vote and to Participate in the

Political Process 3913.7.1 The Right to Vote and Citizens 3913.7.2 The Right-to Vote and Non-Citizens

(Refugees and Asylum-Seekers) 3923.8 Freedom of Religion, Thought, and

Conscience 3923.8.1 Article 9 and Proof of a Subjective

Belief 3923.8.2 Limitations on the Ability to

Manifest a Religious Belief 3933.8.3 Article 9 and Non-State Actors 393

3.9 Freedom of Expression 3943.9.1 Establishing the Existence of an

Interference with Article 10 3953.9.2 Justification for the Interference 3953.9.3 Positive Duties Under Article 10 401

3.10 Freedom of Assembly and Association 4013.10.1 Freedom to Assemble Peacefully 4023.10.2 Restrictions on the Right to Assemble

Peacefully 4023.10.3 Freedom of Association 403

Contents xv

3.10.4 The Freedom to Form and JoinPolitical Parties 403

3.11 Freedom of Movement 4043.11.1 Expulsion of Nationals 4043.11.2 Collective Expulsion of Aliens 4043.11.3 The Right to Asylum 405

3.12 The Right to Family and Private Life 4053.12.1 Limitations on Article 8 4053.12.2 The Home 4063.12.3 The Right to a Personal Identity 4073.12.4 Article 8, Deportation, and

Expulsion 4083.12.5 The Right to Reunification 411

3.13 The Right to Marry 4133.14 The Prohibition Against Slavery, Servitude,

and Forced or Compulsory Labor 4143.15 Access to Food, Clothing, Social Support

and Shelter 4153.16 Access to Education , 4153.17 Protection of Property: The Right to the

Enjoyment of One's Possessions 4163.17.1 Meaning of "Possessions" 4163.17.2 A "Deprivation" of Property 4163.17.3 Limitations on the Enjoyment of

One's Property 4173.17.4 State Control of Property 4183.17.5 International Law and Expropriation

of the Property of an Alien 4193.17.6 Compensation 419

4. Other European Human Rights Mechanisms 4204.1 The 1961 European Social Charter 420

4.1.1 Collective Complaints Mechanism 4224.2 The 1987 European Convention for the

Prevention of Torture and Inhuman andDegrading Treatment or Punishment 422

4.3 The 1995 Framework Convention for theProtection of National Minorities 424

4.4 Commissioner for Human Rights 4254.5 Organization for Security and Cooperation

in Europe (OSCE) 4254.6 The European Union 427

4.6.1 The European Union and HumanRights 428

4.6.2 Individuals and the ECJ 429

xvi Human Rights Protection for Displaced Persons

4.6.3 EU Policies on Refugees andAsylum-Seekers 430

5. Conclusion 431Bibliography 431

Chapter 6. The Inter-American Mechanisms 439BETH LYON AND SOREN ROTTMAN

1. The Major Bodies 4391.1 The Organization of American States (OAS) 4391.2 The Inter-American Commission on

Human Rights 4401.3 The Inter-American Court of Human Rights 4411.4 Inter-Institutional Coordination 442

2. Admissibility Criteria for Individual Complaints 4432.1 Jurisdiction Ratione Personae—The Parties

to an Individual Complaint 4442.1.1 Who Can Bring a Complaint? 4442.1.2 Against Whom Can a Complaint

Be Brought? 4482.2 Jurisdiction Ratione Materiae—What Must

the Complaint Concern? 4502.2.1 Rights Protected by Regional

Instruments 4502.2.2 Acts or Omissions Committed by a

State, Its Agents, Officials, Etc. 4522.2.3 Court of the Fourth Instance Rule 452

2.3 Jurisdiction Ratione Temporis 4522.4 Jurisdiction Ratione Loci 4532.5 Must Domestic Remedies Have Been

Exhausted? 4532.5.1 Due Process of Law 4572.5.2 Denial of Access to Domestic

Remedies or Prevention 4572.5.3 Unwarranted Delay of Domestic

Remedies 4582.6 Once Domestic Remedies Have Been

Exhausted, Is There a Time Limit WithinWhich a Complaint Must Be Brought inOrder to Be Admissible? 459

2.7 Concurrent Jurisdiction—If AnotherInternational Body Is Examining theMatter, Can the Mechanism in QuestionStill Admit It? 460

Contents xvii

2.8 Other Admissibility Criteria 4613. Substantive Rights and Important Jurisprudence 462

3.1 Civil and Political Rights 4623.1.1 Right to Seek and Receive Asylum 4623.1.2 The Right to Family and Private Life 473

3.2 Social and Economic Rights 4743.2.1 Access to Food, Clothing, and

Shelter 4743.2.2 Access to Health Care 4753.2.3 Access to Education 4753.2.4 Property Rights 475

4. Effectiveness of the Inter-American Mechanisms 4775. Other Avenues for Advocacy 481

5.1 On-Site Visits and Country Reports 4815.2 The Inter-American Court Advisory Opinion 482

6. Specific Guidance for Advocates 4836.1 Framing the Complaint 4836.2 Supportive Documentation 4836.3 Confidentiality 4836.4 Settlements 4846.5 Temporary Protective Orders 4846.6 Amicus Curiae ("Friend of the Court") Briefs 485

Bibliography 485

Chapter 7. International Criminal Tribunals:Refugees and Internally DisplacedPersons Who May Be WitnessesBefore the Tribunals 495ASA RYDBERG AND KELLY ASKIN

1. Introduction 4952. The Establishment of the Ad Hoc Tribunals 4973. Investigation and Pre-Trial Stages 4994. The Victims and Witnesses Section 5035. Trial Phase 5046. Post-Trial Phase 5127. Restitution of Property and Victim Compensation 5138. The International Criminal Court 514Bibliography 518

Chapter 8. Internationalized Legal Structures andthe Protection of Internally DisplacedPersons 521MARCUS COX AND CHRISTOPHER HARLAND

1. Introduction 521

xviii Human Rights Protection for Displaced Persons

2. Human Rights Issues in Population Displacement2.1 The Right to Return Home

2.1.1 Property Rights2.1.2 Personal Security2.1.3 Discrimination

2.2 Restitution and Transitional Justice3. Institutional Models for the Protection of IDPs

3.1 Mass Property Title Determination:The Property Commission

3.2 Human Rights Standards Setting: TheHuman Rights Chamber and Ombudsman

3.3 Human Rights Advocacy: The FederationOmbudsmen

3.4 Managing Housing Stocks: MunicipalHousing Offices

4. Assessing the Institutional ChoicesBibliography

AppendicesAppendix 1AAppendix IB

Appendix 1C

Appendix ID

Appendix 2AAppendix 2B

Appendix 2CAppendix 2D

Appendix 2E

Appendix 3AAppendix 3B

Relevant Human Rights Manuals/ResourcesParticipants at the Consultation on theInternational Human Rights ComplaintsMechanisms Available to Refugees andInternally Displaced PersonsThe Relevance of the Guiding Principles onInternal Displacement to the IndividualComplaints Mechanisms of Human RightsTreaties in the United Nations SystemList of States Parties to Selected HumanRights Treaties

Contact Information for UN Treaty BodiesInformation on Complaints to the HumanRights CommitteeCAT Fact Sheet and ComplaintInformation on Complaints to theCommittee Against TortureInformation on Complaints to theCommittee on the Elimination ofRacial Discrimination

523523525525525526528

529

530

533

535536538

541

543

545

557

565

567571

583

587

Contact Information (Charter-Based Bodies) 589Model Complaints 5913B1 Working Group on Arbitrary

Detention 591

Contents xix

3B2 Working Group on Enforced andInvoluntary Disappearances 594

3B3 Special Rapporteur on Freedom ofOpinion and Expression 598

3B4 Special Rapporteur on Torture 6013B5 Special Rapporteur on Violence

Against Women 603Appendix 3C Guiding Principles on Internal

Displacement 605Appendix 3D Principles on the Detention of

Asylum-Seekers and Immigrants of theWorking Group on Arbitrary Detention 619

Appendix 4A Requirements for Complaints to theAfrican Commission on Human andPeoples' Rights 623

Appendix 4B Useful Addresses 625

Appendix 5A Requirements for Complaints to theEuropean Court of Human Rights 629

Appendix 6A Sample IACHR Complaint Form 631Appendix 6B States Parties to the Organization of

American States Charter 635

Appendix 7A Contact Information (International

Criminal Tribunals) 637

Bibliography of Cited International Instruments 639

Index 647

About The Procedural Aspects of International Law Institute 663

Procedural Aspects of International Law Monograph Series 663

Other PAIL Institute Publications 665