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International Commission of Jurists
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) is an international human rights non-governmental organization. It is supported by an International Secretariat based in Geneva, Switzerland, and staffed by lawyers drawn from a wide range of jurisdictions and legal traditions. The Secretariat and the Commission undertake advocacy and policy work aimed at strengthening the role of lawyers and judges in protecting and promoting human rights and the rule of law. In addition, the ICJ has national sections and affiliates in over 70 countries.
The ICJ was established in 1953 by German jurists involved in human rights investigations in the Soviet Zone of post-war Germany. It was partially funded by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to counter the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, perceived as leftist by American officials. Starting from the 1970s, Secretary-General Niall MacDermot moved the organization away from its association with the CIA.
The current ICJ president is Professor Robert Goldman. Former Presidents include Sir Nigel Rodley (2012–2017), a former member of the UN Human Rights Committee, Professor Pedro Nikken (2011–2012) and Mary Robinson (2008–2011), the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and President of Ireland.
Born at the ideological frontline of a divided post-war Berlin, the ICJ was established following the 1952 ‘International Congress of Jurists’ in West Berlin . The Congress was organized by the ‘Investigating Committee of Free Jurists (ICJF)’, a group of German jurists committed to investigating human rights abuses carried out in the Soviet Zone of post-war Germany.
During the Congress, delegates decided to make provisions to expand the work of the ICJF to investigate human rights violations in other regions of the world. A five-member ‘Standing Committee of the Congress’ was appointed for this purpose and, in 1953, the Standing Committee created the “International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)” as a permanent organisation dedicated to the defence of human rights through the rule of law.
One of the key areas of concern for the 106 Congress delegates was the case of Dr. Walter Linse, a West German lawyer and the Acting President of the ICJF. Two weeks prior to the start of the Congress, on 8 July 1952, in an apparent attempt to intimidate participants, Dr. Linse was abducted by East German intelligence agents and delivered to the KGB. Despite international condemnation of the abduction, Dr. Linse was executed in Moscow for “espionage” in 1953.[citation needed]
In 1955, the ICJ issued a report entitled Under False Colours in which it stated that "the International Association of Democratic Lawyers and its subsidiaries proceed from a principle which is diametrically opposed to those which form the basis of the Commission’s work. Although it is careful not to pronounce itself openly on the subject, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers defends and supports the principles of Soviet-Communism."
The ICJ was initially partially funded by the Central Intelligence Agency through the American Fund for Free Jurists, but the CIA's role was not known to most of the ICJ's members. American founders like Allen Dulles and John J. McCloy conceived it as a counter to the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, which had been set up by leftist French lawyers with connections to the French resistance. Ex-CIA officer Philip Agee considered that the ICJ was "set up and controlled by the CIA for propaganda operations." The CIA funding became public in 1967, but the organization survived the revelations after a period of reform under Secretary General Seán MacBride, and through Ford Foundation funding. MacBride himself was involved in CIA funding, according to information the US government reported.
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International Commission of Jurists
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) is an international human rights non-governmental organization. It is supported by an International Secretariat based in Geneva, Switzerland, and staffed by lawyers drawn from a wide range of jurisdictions and legal traditions. The Secretariat and the Commission undertake advocacy and policy work aimed at strengthening the role of lawyers and judges in protecting and promoting human rights and the rule of law. In addition, the ICJ has national sections and affiliates in over 70 countries.
The ICJ was established in 1953 by German jurists involved in human rights investigations in the Soviet Zone of post-war Germany. It was partially funded by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to counter the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, perceived as leftist by American officials. Starting from the 1970s, Secretary-General Niall MacDermot moved the organization away from its association with the CIA.
The current ICJ president is Professor Robert Goldman. Former Presidents include Sir Nigel Rodley (2012–2017), a former member of the UN Human Rights Committee, Professor Pedro Nikken (2011–2012) and Mary Robinson (2008–2011), the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and President of Ireland.
Born at the ideological frontline of a divided post-war Berlin, the ICJ was established following the 1952 ‘International Congress of Jurists’ in West Berlin . The Congress was organized by the ‘Investigating Committee of Free Jurists (ICJF)’, a group of German jurists committed to investigating human rights abuses carried out in the Soviet Zone of post-war Germany.
During the Congress, delegates decided to make provisions to expand the work of the ICJF to investigate human rights violations in other regions of the world. A five-member ‘Standing Committee of the Congress’ was appointed for this purpose and, in 1953, the Standing Committee created the “International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)” as a permanent organisation dedicated to the defence of human rights through the rule of law.
One of the key areas of concern for the 106 Congress delegates was the case of Dr. Walter Linse, a West German lawyer and the Acting President of the ICJF. Two weeks prior to the start of the Congress, on 8 July 1952, in an apparent attempt to intimidate participants, Dr. Linse was abducted by East German intelligence agents and delivered to the KGB. Despite international condemnation of the abduction, Dr. Linse was executed in Moscow for “espionage” in 1953.[citation needed]
In 1955, the ICJ issued a report entitled Under False Colours in which it stated that "the International Association of Democratic Lawyers and its subsidiaries proceed from a principle which is diametrically opposed to those which form the basis of the Commission’s work. Although it is careful not to pronounce itself openly on the subject, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers defends and supports the principles of Soviet-Communism."
The ICJ was initially partially funded by the Central Intelligence Agency through the American Fund for Free Jurists, but the CIA's role was not known to most of the ICJ's members. American founders like Allen Dulles and John J. McCloy conceived it as a counter to the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, which had been set up by leftist French lawyers with connections to the French resistance. Ex-CIA officer Philip Agee considered that the ICJ was "set up and controlled by the CIA for propaganda operations." The CIA funding became public in 1967, but the organization survived the revelations after a period of reform under Secretary General Seán MacBride, and through Ford Foundation funding. MacBride himself was involved in CIA funding, according to information the US government reported.