International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) is dedicated to international law and rule of law principles that advance human rights.

Through a series of highly influential international gatherings of jurists in the 1950s and 1960s – in Athens, New Delhi, Lagos, Rio de Janeiro, Bangkok and Colombo – the ICJ helped to elaborate the rule of law for the modern world.

As the human rights achievements of the last century come under increasing threat, the ICJ’s role as an advocate for the rule of law is again underscored.

The ICJ has a vision of the world in which, through the rule of law, we achieve a just, democratic and peaceful society. A vision based on the rule of law, not as a static set of rules, but as a dynamic concept that protects against arbitrary government, expands freedoms and embraces justice. A rule of law under which everyone is entitled to claim without discrimination their civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights.

Our vision is one in which everyone in society is equal before the law and is protected from human rights violations by the law and in practice; in which those in power are held accountable and brought to justice if they violate human rights; where victims have access to remedies and justice and those who come before the courts receive a fair trial and never face the death penalty.

The ICJ’s vision requires judges, lawyers and prosecutors to be truly independent, enlightened and courageous and free to carry out their professional duties. It demands that international law, especially human rights and humanitarian law, should be a powerful tool for protection and advocacy and should be implemented through effective national and international procedures.

“Respect for the rule of law and human rights on the international plane has never been as important as it is now; no other organization can speak with the same authority on the need to combat the scourge of terrorism while preserving these values.” - Sir Nigel Rodley, ICJ Commissioner