Thursday 30 April 2015

Controversy at UN over alleged sexual abuse by peacekeepers in CAR

The controversy over the leaked United Nations report detailing sexual abuse of children committed by French troops at the beginning of the MINUSCA mission in Central African Republic has grown since the story hit the headlines on Wednesday with the whistleblower being suspended and placed under investigation by the UN Office for Internal Oversight Services.

The whistleblower is a Swedish citizen. The Swedish government has issued a press statement on the matter.

Separately, the French authorities, who have jurisdiction to prosecute crimes committed by their troops in the mission, confirmed they are investigating 13 soldiers in connected with the allegations. According to reports on The Guardian, allegations that Chadian soldiers were also involved in the abuse are included in the leaked report.

/ Sally
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Wednesday 29 April 2015

Finland fires depth charges at suspected submarine

On 28 April Finland's military fired depth charges as a warning against a suspected submarine in waters near Helsinki.

This comes amid heightened tension in the area and follows a suspected submarine in Swedish waters in October 2014.

On 20 April Swedish press ran a story debating the legal framework for using armed force against submerged submarines during peace.

/ Sally






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Welcome to the International Law Centre's new blog!

Welcome, one and all, to a new blog authored by teachers and researchers based at the International Law Centre of the Swedish Defence University! We will be providing updates on recent developments in international law relevant to military operations, defence and security. We aim to provide a useful portal of information on current events in international law for students, teachers, researchers, practitioners and all others working in this field. Comments are always welcome at international.law.centre@fhs.se. You can find more information on the work of the International Law Centre can be found here.
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Swedish Red Cross report on violence against healthcare from a gender perspective

The Swedish Red Cross has published a new report examining violence against healthcare from a gender perspective. Examining the case studies of Colombia and Lebanon, the report contributes to the wider International Committee of the Red Cross project called Health Care in Danger which aims to improve security and delivery of impartial and efficient health care in armed conflict and other emergencies.

The Swedish Red Cross's report also adds to a greater understanding of the gender dimensions of implementing international humanitarian and human rights law obligations in armed conflicts. One of the recommendations included is to ensure a gender and diversity perspective is included in the implementation and fulfilment of obligations to provide health care under relevant international humanitarian law, international human rights law and domestic laws in order to give effect to the principle of non-discrimination.

You can download the report here. In social media: #ProtectHealthCare.

/ Sally
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Tuesday 28 April 2015

New bill on Swedish defence 2016-2020

On 24 April 2015 the Swedish Government presented its bill on the Swedish defence for the years 2016-2020. Emphasising the deteriorating security situation in Europe, the Government proposed a reinforcement of the defence economy with 10,2 billion Swedish crowns. It proposes amongst other things the establishment of a new battle group on the island Gotland, the reinstitution of the planning for a civil-military defence and a strengthening of the anti-submarine warfare capability.

You can download the proposal here

/Pontus
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Friday 24 April 2015

Central Africa Republic votes to create special criminal court

On Wednesday 22 April 2015 the National Transitional Council of the Central African Republic adopted a bill establishing a special criminal court to hold accountable those who committed crimes during the recent conflict in the country. The aim is to address impunity and contribute to the restoration of peace. The court will be made up of 27 judges including 14 from CAR. Read more here.


This follows a report by an international commission of inquiry established by the Security Council to investigate violations and abuses of international human rights and  humanitarian law in CAR which recommended establishing a tribunal to hold perpetrators of international crimes accountable.


/ Sally


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Tuesday 21 April 2015

Security Council press statement on Yarmouk Refugee Camp

On 20 April, the Members of the Security Council issued a press statement expressing their deep concern regarding the grave humanitarian situation in Yarmouk Refugee Camp in Syria. The Security Council called for unhindered access to the Camp and for the protection of civilians inside the camp, as well as underscored support for United Nations efforts to assist trapped Palestinian refugees in Yarmouk through a three-point plan. The plan includes:
  1. Providing assistance for civilians who are unwilling or unable to leave Yarmouk; 
  2. Assisting those who want to "temporarily relocate" from the camp to do so in accordance with international humanitarian law and with appropriate safeguards that they will be allowed to do so safely and freely; and 
  3. Assisting Yarmouk residents who have already fled.

The press statement goes on to demand that all parties cease attacks on civilians and comply with their international legal obligations and previous Security Council resolutions. The full press statement can be accessed here. Since the outbreak of fighting between the Houthis and presidential guard on 19 January, the Security Council has issued three Security Council resolutions addressing the situation, in addition to a presidential statement and two other press statements. The Security Council resolutions can be accessed here, here and here.

/ Sally
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Erika de Wet and Jann K. Kleffner release new book


New book of Erika de Wet and Jann K. Kleffner (eds), CONVERGENCE AND CONFLICTS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW IN MILITARY OPERATIONS, Pretoria University Press (2014), 428 pages, ISBN: 978-1-920538-32-3

The book, which is the result of a three year-long SIDA sponsored collaboration between the International Law Centre and the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa (ICLA) at the University of Pretoria, has been published in February 2015.
For further information, see http://www.pulp.up.ac.za/cat_2014_15.html
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Friday 10 April 2015

Report on gendered misconceptions of militarized identities released

The Advanced Training Program on Humanitarian Action has released a new report on the impact of gendered misconceptions of militarized identities in the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of female combatants in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

The report can be accessed here: http://www.atha.se/thematicbrief/gendered-misconceptions-militarized-identities-disarmament-demobilization 

/Jann
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