All Press Releases
21 November 2014
Twenty-five years ago the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was adopted, and with it the world made a promise to children: to uphold their fundamental rights, to promote their human dignity, and to safeguard their best interests in all actions. Today, the CRC remains the most widely and rapidly ratified international human rights treaty in history. Only two countries, Somalia and the...
13 November 2014
Following its recent mission conducted in South Sudan, FIDH raises serious concerns over the risks of a further deterioration of the human rights and humanitarian situation in the country if no effective measures are taken to break the cycle of violence and impunity which currently prevails.
Almost a year after the outbreak of the conflict between the forces loyal to the President Salva Kiir and...
10 November 2014
Ivanhoe Mines announced last week that the mining right for the development and operation of the company’s Platreef mining project in Mokopane had been executed and would enable immediate preparations for the construction of the mining site. The mine further reported that the final approval of the mining right was indicative of the Department of Mineral Resources' (DMR) satisfaction...
6 November 2014
LHR is seeking an experienced human rights lawyer to head its Refugee and Migrant Rights Programme, based either in Johannesburg or Pretoria.
4 November 2014
UNHCR is today launching a global “I Belong” campaign aimed at ending within 10 years the problem of statelessness – a devastating legal limbo for the millions of people worldwide who lack any nationality and the human rights protections that go with it. The goal of eradicating statelessness is looking increasingly possible thanks to dramatic recent progress in the number...
31 October 2014
Judgment has been reserved in the North Gauteng High Court after the Departments of Home Affairs and International Relations were called to report back to court on the steps taken following the unlawful deportation of Botswana national Edwin Samotse.
Samotse was deported from Polokwane Prison on 13 August this year despite an order of non-surrender from the Minister of Justice. Samotse is charged...
30 October 2014
In a ground-breaking judgment, the South African Constitutional Court has unanimously ruled that the South African Police Service (SAPS) must investigate crimes against humanity perpetrated in Zimbabwe in 2007.
The so-called ‘Zimbabwe torture case’ was brought by the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) and the Zimbabwean Exiles Forum (ZEF) to compel South Africa to abide by...
30 October 2014
Lawyers for Human Rights welcomes today’s Constitutional Court ruling that the South African Police Service must investigate crimes against humanity committed in Zimbabwe.
This landmark case began in 2008 when the South Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) handed over a dossier of evidence of these crimes to the SAPS and National Prosecuting Authority. The evidence dealt specifically with...
21 October 2014
Lawyers for Human Rights are concerned by the ongoing practice of police stations being used to detain people for immigration reasons - often in poor and overcrowded conditions and for excessive periods of time.
This was demonstrated by the detention of more than 200 people for over two months at the Benoni Police Station and detention of more than 20 people at the Primrose Police Station on the...
20 October 2014
This Commission of Inquiry into the up to R70 billion Arms Deal – the Arms Procurement Commission - represents a historic opportunity to support the struggle for transparency and accountability in South Africa.
Your mandate, Commissioners, to establish the facts by holding the powerful to account for alleged misconduct means you carry a great burden. This mandate speaks directly to the...