Just over a year after nine people were killed when Israeli marines stormed a pro-Palestinian flotilla, Greece imposed a ban on all Gaza-bound ships saying it feared for the safety of the activists who are now trying to find a way to set sail. Pro-Palestinian activists hoping to sail to Gaza this week fully expected their flotilla to be blocked by Israeli marines. Instead, to their shock, the mission was holed even before they put to sea -- by Greece.

Brussels, 22 March 2010: The ITUC is taking the opportunity of the International Day Against Racism and Xenophobia to recall that racism and xenophobia constitute serious violations of human rights and to urge governments, employers and trade unions around the world to promote respect for diversity and multicultural interaction and to actively combat discrimination based on ethnic backgrounds, nationality or colour of skin and to be extra vigilant in these times of global economic crisis that provide a breeding ground for unfettered extreme expressions of racism and social exclusion and an increased societal tolerance for them.

The report on the “Independence and Impartiality of the Judiciary – Lebanon” aims to describe in detail the main features of the Lebanese judiciary, with particular focus on the fundamental problems affecting its independence and impartiality.

View full report

The examples mentioned in the  report  illustrate the practical consequences that a lack of independence can have on the rights of citizens. It includes a series of detailed recommendations concerning the constitutional, legal and administrative changes that are required in order to achieve a level of judicial independence in accordance with international standards. The recommendations are primarily directed towards the Lebanese authorities who are requested to demonstrate genuine political will in order to achieve real and substantial progress in this area. Other recommendations are directed towards external actors and donors, including the European Union and civil society, whose role should not be underestimated.

Dear Sir or Madam,

Thank you again for your participation in the Arab Coalition for Darfur Civil Society Conference in Morocco last week. We enjoyed very interesting and informative meetings and lively discussions.  You have met my colleague Marwa El-Ansary from Crisis Action. She will get in touch with you individually later to carry on some of the discussions you had in Morocco, but as a matter of urgency we would like to publish the open letter from the Arab Civil Society organizations to the League of Arab States. As an achievement of the conference we would like to remind the Arab States of their crucial role in securing Sudan and Darfur’s peaceful future and of their responsibility to prevent a renewed conflict risking instability and further suffering, not only in Sudan but in the whole region.