Countries
Alternative reports, briefings and submissions
Tabel of Contents
Denmark
UN Committee against Torture
Submission to UN’s Committee in relation to the 8. Periodic report of Denmark (2018)
The Coalition of NGOs in Denmark (the Coalition) has made this submission prior to the Committee’s adoption of List-of-Issues prior to reporting (LOIPR) for Denmark during its upcoming session. The following issues are addressed in the submission: criminalization of torture, statute of limitations in civil cases relating to torture, remand in custody, detainees’ contact with the outside world, non-refoulement, screening and assistance to asylum seekers, expulsion of vulnerable persons, diplomatic insurance, education and training related to torture conventions, investigative interviews and audiovisual interviews, police investigation, solitary confinement, use of coercion in psychiatry, violence against women, LGBTI persons.
Alternative report relating to the examination of the 6th and 7rh periodic report of Denmark (2015)
This report is submitted to the Committee against Torture as an alternative report to Denmark’s report of 6 January 2015 that replies to the questions in the list of issues prior to reporting dated 19 January 2010 regarding progress made with respect to treaty implementation and compliance. The following issues are addressed in the report: criminalization of torture, statute of limitations, administrative deprivation of liberty of refugees, diplomatic assurances, interrogation methods, solitary confinement, non-refoulement, torture investigations, the use of coercion in psychiatry, LGBTI persons’ access to nursing care, pre-trial detention.
Alternative report relating to the examination of the 5th periodic report (2007)
This report seeks to provide alternative answers to some of the questions raised in The List of Issues, the topics of which should be considered during the review of the 5th periodic report on Denmark. The report also presents some new and important topics that have not been addressed in The List of Issues. The report points out the following issues: the possibility for torture victims to obtain citizenship, the Aliens Act and refugee status, criminalization of torture, the statute of limitations, training of authorities.
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Alternative report to “The List of Issues” prior to the 6th periodic report over Denmark (2018)
This report is submitted to the Committee as an alternative report to Denmark’s state reports of 15 November 2018 and 6 August 2019, and it replies to the Committee’s questions regarding progress made with respect to treaty implementation and compliance (LOIPR of 19 October 2018).
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Submission to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in relation to the country visit to Denmark (2019)
This joint report is to be submitted to the Committee in connection with the visit in 2019. The report has been prepared by DIGNITY, 12 other organizations and Peter Scharff Smith. The report, among others, points out the following issues: prisons, remand prisons, psychiatric institutions.
- (Coming soon) Submission to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)
Submission to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) in connection with the country visit to Denmark (2014)
This is a submission submitted to the Committee prior to the country visit in 2014. The submission, among others, points out the following issues: police detention and police establishment, prisons, rights for foreigners deprived of their liberty, young people and minors.
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Supplementary NGO Report to the Danish Government’s 5th periodic report to the UN Committee (2016)
This report has been submitted to the Committee as a supplementary report to Denmark’s 5th periodic report. The report has been prepared by DIGNITY and others, and points out the following issues: discrimination, rehabilitation, detention of children, family reunification, private accommodation for unaccompanied children.
UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Civil Society’s suggestions to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities regarding the ‘List of issues prior to reporting’ on the Kingdom of Denmark (2018)
This paper presents suggestions for the “List of issues prior to reporting” (LOIPR) to be adopted by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at its session in March/April 2019, highlighting areas in which Denmark, The Faroe Islands and Greenland have, in our view, made insufficient efforts to implement its commitments as set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This paper springs from Danish civil society collaboration coordinated by Disabled People’s Organisations Denmark (DPOD). DPOD is an umbrella organisation representing 34 disability organisations with 340.000 members. The paper is based on inputs from DPOD member organisations and from several other organisations working in fields of relevance to disability.
UN Committee on Civil and Political Rights
Alternative rapport to”The List of Issues prior to reporting” relating to the 6. Examination of Danmark – 117. session (2016)
This report is submitted to the Committee as an alternative report to Denmark’s report of 10 November 2015 regarding progress made with respect to treaty implementation and compliance that replied to the questions in the list of issues prior to reporting published four years earlier.
Universal periodic review
“Joint Stakeholder” submission to the pre session meeting (2021)
This report to the UN Human Rights Committee addresses the following issues: discrimination, Right to life, liberty and security of person, Development, the environment, and business and human rights, slavery, social security and more.
- (Coming soon) Summary of stakeholders' information
“Joint Stakeholder” submission to the periodic revies, 24th session (2016)
This report to the UN Human Rights Committee addresses the following issues: equality, discrimination, the right to personal liberty, religious freedom, the right to private and family life, the right to education, migration, refugees, asylum seekers.
Mid-term Implementation Assessment, Universal Periodic Review (2014)
This report to the UN Human Rights Committee addresses the following issues: discrimination and hate crimes, citizenship, education, LGBTI, family reunification, refugee access to nursing, non-refoulement, unaccompanied children (refugees), human trafficking, rights of people with disabilities, etc.
- (Coming soon) Mid-term Implementation Assessment, Universal Periodic Review (2014)
Joint stakeholder submission to the Universal Periodic Review of Denmark, 11. session (2011)
This report to the UN Human Rights Committee addresses the following issues: incorporation and ratification of conventions, family reunification, the Aliens Act, permanent residence permits, Danish citizenship, illegal immigrants, penal cells, diplomatic guarantees, the criminal minimum age, the right to private and family life, hate crimes-
Egypt
Press
Joint statement on Egypt (2021)
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from around the world expressed their strong support for a joint declaration by UN member states condemning the human rights situation in Egypt which was delivered at the UN Human Rights Council. In the declaration governments expressed “deep concern” for widespread human rights violations committed with impunity by the Egyptian authorities. To read the full article, see the link below.
Open letter calling for release of EIPR staff (2020)
Over 60 organisations from across the world stood in solidarity with the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights and urge the immediate and unconditional release of Karim Ennarah, Mohammed Basheer and Gasser Abdel-Razek.
Open letter calling for release of El-Baqer and Fattah (2020)
DIGNITY and the undersigned international non-governmental organisations, call on the Egyptian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release human rights defenders Mohamed El-Baqer and Alaa Abdel Fattah, who were arbitrarily arrested and detained a year ago today.
The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Joint letter to Denmark’s Minister of Foreign Affairs concerning support for human rights defenders and civil society in Egypt to engage safely with the United Nations in the field of human rights (2020)
In this letter to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have expressed our deep appreciation for the fact that the Ministry has raised its concerns during Egypt’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in November 2019 about the situation of human rights defenders and the acts of intimidation and reprisals against them. We urge the Ministry to continue these efforts, including by leading on a joint statement at the UN Human Rights Council (‘Council’) at the earliest possible opportunity that urges the Egyptian government to take immediate and effective measures to refrain from further reprisals and pursue accountability for past and ongoing reprisals. Read the full letter below.
- (Coming soon)
Ministers of foreign affairs
Private letter to foreign ministers (2020)
In this joint letter to foreign ministers, we urge the government to lead collective action at the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council (the Council) and establish a monitoring and reporting mechanism on the human rights situation in Egypt. Read the full letter below.
- (Coming soon)
Rapporteur of the UN Working Group
Joint submission to Chairperson – Rapporteur of the UN Working Group Arbitrary Detention (2020)
DIGNITY and the other undersigned organizations respectfully urge the Working Group to lead on issuing a joint press release reiterating the concerns over the systemic problem with arbitrary detention in Egypt and the persistent non-cooperation of Egypt, to call on Egypt to immediately release all those arbitrarily detained and to call on the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) to take action.
- (Coming soon)
UN Human Rights Council
Joint action to address the human rights crises in Egypt at the 46th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (2020)
We are deeply concerned about the application of terrorism legislation against human rights activists, LGBTI persons, journalists, politicians and lawyers. We urge Egypt to end the use of terrorism charges to hold human rights defenders and civil society activists in extended pre-trial detention and the practice of adding detainees to new cases with similar charges after the legal limit for pre-trial detention has expired. We also ask Egypt to cease the use of the terrorism entities list to punish individuals for exercising their right to freedom of expression. Read the full statement below.
UPR
Joint submission for the UPR review of Egypt (2019)
The present report was prepared pursuant to Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1 and 16/21, taking into consideration the periodicity of the universal periodic review. It is a summary of 72 stakeholders’ submissions to the universal periodic review, presented in a summarized manner. In the submission DIGNITY recommends amending the 2006 NCHR Law and repealing Articles 36, 42-44 of the Prisons Regulation Act to mandate the Council to carry out unannounced visits to prisons. DIGNITY moreover recommended allowing ICRC to access places of detention. Read the full submission below.
Conferences and other events
Advocacy event in Rome (2021)
DIGNITY held an event in Rome together with Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International (AI), October 2021 (attached). Moreover DIGNITY launched its study on Torture in Egypt: Systematic and Systemic. Read it below
Follow-up events – Egypt’s UPR (2021)
HRC43: DIGNITY in coalition with its partners sought to follow up work on Egypt’s UPR by organising events and statements during HRC43 (March 2020). An oral statement was due to be delivered and a side-event to be coordinated. These did not take place due to COVID. A joint statement was though released. Read it below.
UPR - Egypt (2019)
This is an informal coalition of NGOs and INGOs that have covered issues related to the right to be free from torture and the victims’ right to reparation in Egypt since several years. Some of the members of the coalition have formally coordinated, among others, on previous submissions to the UPR as well as on side-events to sessions of the UN Human Rights Council.
- (Coming soon)
Israel and Palestine
Conferences and other events
Alternative 1-year report to CAT (2017)
DIGNITY provided with technical expertise for the Palestinian Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) for Alternative 1-year report to CAT (2017). In the report the coalition emphasizes that despite the representations made by the Israeli delegation before the Committee regarding the state’s work to codify the crime of torture in the national legislation, no progress has been made in this area. Read the full report below.
Kenya
Human Rights Committee
Sixth periodic report submitted by Israel under article 19 of the Convention pursuant to the optional reporting procedure
DIGNITY co-drafted a submission to the Human Rights Committee with Mathare Social Justice Centre and University of Edinburgh for its consideration of Kenya at the Committee’s 131st session on effective protection to victims and witnesses of violations of the ICCPR and effective investigations of EJEs and allegations of torture and CIDTP
Philippines
CAT
Input to the LOIPR (2018)
This letter provides supplemental information for the list of issues prior to report (LOIPR) for the Republic of the Philippines (state party) according to the optional reporting procedure adopted by the Committee against Torture (the Committee). The undersigned organizations hope to further the work of the Committee by providing independent information since the Committee’s last periodic review of the state party in 2016 concerning the status of reproductive rights in the Philippines, as protected by the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the Convention)