Está en la página 1de 4

NEWSLETTER

OHCHR MADAGASCAR

Office of the United Nations


Resident Coordinator
United Nations Country Team

2nd Edition - October 2014


ALL AGAINST DEATH PENALTY

BUILDING MOMENTUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Within the framework of activities to mark the international


day for the abolition of death penalty, on 10 October,
OHCHR, the Minister of justice, FIACAT/ACAT(Action des
Chrtiens pour lAbolition de la Torture), the international
Coalition for the abolition of death penalty in partnership
with France, Switzerland, Norway and the European Union
organized an in-door programme in Antananarivo.

UNCTs Madagascar support to duty bearers and rights


holders in promoting and protecting human rights is
gaining momentum.
Over the past few month, ahead of the presentation
of Malagasy report before the Human Rights Council
working group on Universal Periodic Review, the OHCHR
has provided technical assistance to the government, civil
society organizations, parliamentarians, private sector, faithbased organizations and the academia in drafting a number
of key laws by ensuring that they are human rights-based
and gender sensitive. The draft laws on nationality, women
representation and participation in the decision-making
process as well as torture and ill-treatment were adopted
during an inclusive process.

75 persons including 32 women drawn from the


parliament, the judiciary; the academia, civil society, media,
UN agencies, international organizations, the ministries of
justice, defense, security, foreign affairs, the office of the
ombudsman as well as traditional and religious leaders
participated in the one-day forum. The opening ceremony
was chaired by the minister of justice in the presence
of the EU ambassador, the representative of the French
Ambassador, the representative of the president of the
national assembly, the representative of the UN resident
coordinator and the chairperson of FIACAT/ACAT.

The successful organization of the first national forum on


the abolition of death penalty with the mobilization and
participation of a large and qualitative number of human
rights NGOs and technical and financial partners, including
the AU, the EU, France, Norway, Switzerland, the UK, as well
as UNCT under the auspices of the ministry of justice and the
parliament, testifies the common and shared commitment
of the international community to working towards the
abolition of the death penalty. It also demonstrates the
importance of mobilizing and intensifying all national and
international efforts towards building a human rightsfriendly environment in Madagascar to prevent the country
from relapsing into political crisis.

OHCHR made presentations on the international, regional


and sub-regional legal framework for the abolition of
death penalty, on the mapping of the application of death
penalty in Africa. Madagascar is among the seven SADC
member states that are maintaining death penalty in their
legislation. The Human Rights Director within the Ministry
of justice presented a communication on the national legal
framework for the abolition of death penalty. He indicated
that Madagascar has de facto abolished the death penalty
as since 1958, no execution has been registered. All capital
punishments are systematically commuted to sentence of
hard labour for life. As of 10 October, 65 prisoners are under
sentence of death in Madagascar.

On the eve of the opening of the second ordinary session


of the parliament, Im confident that the above mentioned
draft laws and those in the pipeline will be tabled by the
government, examined and adopted by the parliament and
subsequently promulgated by the President of the Republic.
This will qualitatively strengthen Malagasy human rights
promotion and protection architecture and substantially
increase and improve its human rights record and image.

(continued overleaf )

Fatma Samoura
UN Resident Coordinator

(from left to right, Mrs Maria RAHARINARIVONIRINA,


President of FIACAT/ACAT, Mr. Omer KALAMEU, Human
Rights Adviser, HE.Mrs Noeline RAMANANTENASOA,
Minister of Justice, HEMr Antonio Sanchez-Benedito
GASPAR, Ambassador of the European Union, Mr. Jerme
BRESSON, 1st Advisor within the French Embassy).

OHCHR SUPPORTS THE DRAFTING OF A


HUMAN RIGHTS-COMPLIANT NATIONALITY
CODE

The representative of the president of the National Assembly


made a communication on the role of parliamentarians in
promoting human rights and abolishing death penalty.
He reiterated the commitment of the president of the
national assembly to table a draft law on the abolition of
death penalty during the upcoming ordinary session of the
national assembly on 21 October 2014.

In Antananarivo, on 25-26 September, the Ministry of


Justice, the Parliament, OHCHR, UNHCR and the local NGO
Focus Development organized a 2-day workshop on the
revision of the 54-year-old nationality code adopted on 22
July 1960.
The 2-day session aimed at aligning the nationality code
with international human rights principles and standards
enshrined in the universal declaration of human rights,
the international covenant on civil and political rights, the
convention on the elimination of racial discrimination, the
convention on the elimination of discrimination against
women, the convention on the rights of the child, the
African charter on human and people rights, the African
charter on the rights and welfare of the child as well as the
convention on the rights of stateless persons.

Mr. DJAOSERA Irene,


Parliamentarian,
representing the President of
the National Assembly

50 persons including 31 women drawn from the office of


the prime minister, the judiciary, the ministries of justice,
security, population and social affairs, interior and foreign
affairs, as well as human rights NGOs, the academia,
metis and stateless people associations, parliamentarians
participated in the workshop.

Pr Lova Andriantavy, lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the


university of Antananarivo made a presentation on
Madagascar and the death penalty: from the de facto
abolition to the de jure abolition. She called for the holding
of a national debate and sensitization on the abolition of
death penalty.

OHCHR made a presentation on the international and


regional legal framework for the protection of the human
right to nationality.

Representatives
of
traditional
rulers
and
faith-based
organizations
h i g h l i g h t e d
the
danger
and
consequences
of
the application of
death penalty. A
documentary
on
the French experience in abolishing death penalty via the
Robert Badinter law of 1981 was screened.

The 54-year-old nationality law was discussed and revised


by participants. At the end of the workshop, the first draft
of the revised law on nationality was adopted. This first
draft will be submitted to the council of government
and the council of ministers before its examination and
adoption by the parliament.

NATIONAL LAW ON TORTURE AND ILLTREATMENT REVISED

The one-day forum culminated in the adoption of the


landmark Antananarivo declaration on the abolition
of death penalty as well as an action plan. At the end of
the forum, copies of a joint declaration on the abolition
of death penalty initiated by the Swiss government and
signed by the ministries of foreign affairs of 12 countries,
was distributed to all participants and the media.

In Antananarivo, on 18-19 September, OHCHR carried out a


2-day workshop on the revision of the 2008 law on torture
for the benefit of 20 participants including 10 women
drawn from the judiciary, the police, the gendarmerie,
the academia, the ministry of justice and civil society
organizations.

CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS CALLS


ON INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO
INCREASE ATTENTION ON THE HUMAN
RIGHTS SITUATION IN MADAGASCAR

OHCHR made presentations on the international and


regional legal and institutional framework to combat torture
and on states obligations to prevent torture. The human
rights and international relations director within the ministry
of justice explained all recommendations pertaining to
torture and ill-treatment made by international human
rights mechanisms including the UPR (Universal periodic
Review) and CAT (Committee against torture).

On 26 September, ahead of Madagascar participation in


the 20th session of the UPR, the OHCHR provided technical
and financial support to civil society organizations and
Pax Romana in presenting their UPR shadow report to
the technical and financial partners. The shadow report
revealed that the implementation of the 2010 UPR
recommendations was low and called on the international
community to increase attention on the human rights
situation in Madagascar and provide the necessary support.

At the end of the session, a draft revised law against torture


was adopted by all participants. This draft encompasses
all final observations and recommendations made by
the CAT in 2011; takes into consideration torture-related
recommendations made by UPR in 2010; reaffirms that

(continued overleaf )

there is no statutory limitations for torture offence; and


includes and defines ill-treatment offence. The human
rights and international relations director within the
ministry of justice revealed that the draft revised law will be
submitted to the government and ministers councils prior
to its examination and adoption by the national assembly
during its upcoming ordinary session scheduled for the
third Tuesday of October 2014.

group with OHCHR. He announced that during the next


ordinary session, he will propose the formation of the 32nd
permanent commission on human rights.
He revealed that the parliament was in the process of
setting up a commission of inquiry into the situation in the
south.
He committed to proposing the amendment of article 20 of
the controversial law on cyber criminality that criminalizes
press offences. Civil society leaders urged the parliament to
draft private bills in the absence of government initiatives
and bills.
More concretely, they called on the parliament to table
some important bills that could strengthen the national
human rights protection system and architecture:

OHCHR FACILITATES DIALOGUE AND


COLLABORATION BETWEEN CIVIL SOCIETY
AND THE PARLIAMENT
On 15 September, OHCHR organized its monthly meeting
with civil society organizations. 35 leaders of civil society
organizations including 21 women participated in the
meeting, in the presence of the president of the National
Assembly, the special guest. Participants took stock of the
current political, security and human rights situation.

The draft laws for the ratification of the international


convention on the rights of persons with disabilities ant its
protocol;
The 3rd protocol to the convention on the rights of the
child on the possibility of the committee on child rights to
receive individuals complaints and petitions;
The protocol to the convention against torture;
The convention on the protection against forced
disappearances
The 2nd protocol to the international covenant on civil and
political rights on the abolition of death penalty;
The protocol of Ouagadougou on the creation of the
African human rights court;
The Maputo protocol on the women rights in Africa;
The AU charter on good governance, democracy and
elections as well as the SADC protocol on gender and
development.

They expressed deep concern over the security and


human rights situation in the south marred with violent
confrontation between the zebu raiders (dahalos) and
security forces. Participants also committed to carrying
out joint activities to mark international days, principally
the upcoming international day for the abolition of death
penalty, the human rights day as well as the 16-days of
activism against gender-based violence.
The President of the national assembly facilitated a
roundtable discussion on the role of the parliament in
promoting and protecting human rights. He indicated that
human rights were at the heart of his 2014-2018 strategic
plan to modernize parliamentarian practices. He indicated
two major actions that he has taken over the past two
months in favor of human rights namely: the appointment
of a human rights advisor within his cabinet; the planning
of human rights trainings for parliamentarians by October
2014; and the participation of his director of cabinet and
human rights advisor in the weekly human rights working

Participants also urged the parliament to give special


attention to some draft laws that will be submitted by
the government in the October 2014 ordinary session,
principally the draft laws on nationality, on the protection of
children, on torture, and on human trafficking. The President
of the National Assembly committed himself to tabling a
draft law on the abolition of death penalty in October 2014.

KEY DATES

3 NOV 2014
01 DECEMBER 03 DECEMBER
3-10 DEC. 2014
UNIVERSAL
WORLD AIDS INTERNATIONAL DAY
HUMAN RIGHTS
PERIODIC REVIEW DAY
WEEK
OF DISABLED PERSONS
20 NOV 2014
21 NOV 10 DEC
5 DEC. 2014
16 DAYS OF
UN VOLUNTEERS
25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
ACTIVISM
CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD DAY
3

HIGLIGHTS

DCLARATION DU FORUM NATIONAL SUR LABOLITION DE LA PEINE DE MORT MADAGASCAR

Rappelant larticle 8 de la Constitution Malgache qui stipule que Le droit de toute personne la vie est protg par la loi. Nul ne peut tre arbitrairement priv
de la vie ;
Rappelant larticle 3 de la Dclaration Universelle des Droits de lHomme qui garantit le droit la vie, la libert et la scurit des personnes ;
Gardant lesprit les dispositions de lActe constitutif de lUnion africaine qui garantissent dans lArticle 3(h) que lobjectif de lUnion Africaine est de promouvoir
et de protger les droits de lhomme, et qui exigent en son Article 4(o) le respect du caractre sacr de la vie humaine ;
Rappelant que le droit la vie est un droit fondamental garanti par lArticle 4 de la Charte Africaine des Droits de lHomme et des Peuples qui consacre
linterdiction absolue de la privation arbitraire de la vie ;
Rappelant par ailleurs lArticle 6 du Pacte International relatif aux Droits Civils et Politiques, les Articles 6 et 37 (a) de la Convention sur les Droits de lEnfant, les
Articles 5(1)(3) de la Charte Africaine sur les Droits et le Bien-tre de lEnfant, et les Articles 4(1)(2)(j) du Protocole la Charte Africaine des Droits de lHomme et
des Peuples sur les Droits de la Femme en Afrique ;
Rappelant la Rsolution ACHPR/Res.42(XXVI)99 qui exhorte les tats envisager un moratoire sur la peine de mort ;
Rappelant la Rsolution ACHPR/Res.136(XXXXIIII)08 qui exhorte les tats observer un moratoire sur la peine de mort ;
Notant l tude sur la Question de la Peine de Mort en Afrique adopte par la Commission africaine des Droits de lHomme et des Peuples lors de sa 50me
Session ordinaire qui sest tenue au Banjul, Gambie du 24 octobre au 7 novembre 2011 ;
Notant par ailleurs que lArticle 6 du Pacte International relatif aux Droits Civils et Politiques fait rfrence labolition de la peine de mort en des termes qui
suggrent que labolition est souhaitable ;
Convaincu que le droit de chaque individu la vie est une valeur fondamentale dans une socit dmocratique et que labolition de la peine de mort est
essentielle pour la protection de ce droit et aussi pour lentire reconnaissance de la dignit inhrente tout tre humain ;
Raffirmant lengagement de la Commission Africaine des Droits de lHomme et des Peuples promouvoir le droit la vie et la dignit humaine en tant que
droits fondamentaux ;
Persuad que labolition de la peine de mort contribue au renforcement de la dignit humaine et la ralisation progressive des droits de lhomme ;
Convaincu que toutes les mesures prises visant abolir la peine de mort devraient tre considres comme une avance dans la jouissance du droit la vie ;
Souhaitant renforcer la protection du droit la vie garanti par la Charte Africaine des Droits de lHomme et des Peuples ;
Considrant que lvolution survenue dans plusieurs tats membres de lUnion africaine exprime une tendance gnrale en faveur de labolition de la peine de
mort ;
Saluant les efforts des acteurs de la socit civile en vue de parvenir labolition de la peine de mort;
Guid par les objectifs et principes contenus dans les instruments africains et des Nations Unies ;
Notant les dbats en cours et les initiatives sur la peine de mort, ainsi que la disposition des Autorits Malgaches abolir la peine capitale ;

Le Forum National sur labolition de la peine de mort Madagascar :


Salue les mesures prises par lAssemble Nationale pour llaboration dune proposition de loi portant abolition de la peine de mort et lencourage linscrire
lordre du jour de la session doctobre 2014 ;
Invite la collaboration entre le Ministre de la Justice et lAssemble Nationale pour ltablissement dune nouvelle chelle de peine ayant au sommet une
peine de rclusion perptuit et pour prendre les mesures ncessaires afin de commuer les peines de travaux forcs perptuit une peine de 20 30 ans de
rclusion ;
Exhorte lEtat Malgache ratifier le Deuxime Protocole Facultatif se rapportant au Pacte Relatif aux Droits Civils et Politiques portant abolition de la peine de
mort ;
Exhorte lEtat Malgache encourager ladoption du protocole additionnel la Charte Africaine des Droits de lHomme et des Peuples sur labolition de la peine
de mort en Afrique.
Appelle par ailleurs lEtat Malgache voter en faveur de la Rsolution de lAssemble gnrale des Nations Unies appelant un moratoire universel sur les
excutions en vue de labolition de la peine de mort qui doit tre adopte cette anne;
Encourage les organisations de la socit civile, les mdias et les autres acteurs continuer de faire le plaidoyer et la sensibilisation pour labolition de la peine
de mort et de la prsomption dinnocence Madagascar ;
Appelle les partenaires techniques et financiers appuyer les efforts mens dans le cadre des actions de sensibilisation de la population ainsi que les mesures
daccompagnement de cette initiative.
Fait le 10 Octobre 2014 Antananarivo
Editor in Chief
Fatma Samoura
UN Resident Coordinator
Editor
Omer Kalameu
Human Rights Adviser

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Writers
Tovohery RAZAKAMANANA
Human Rights Officer
&
Volahery ANDRIAMANANTENASOA
Programme Assistant

C/O The Office of the UN Resident Coordinator


Maison Commune des Nations Unies,
Galaxy Andraharo.
Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
Tel. +(261) 32 23 100 60
Email: VAndriamanantenasoa@ohchr.org

Designer
Raj HASSANALY
Photo, Video and Graphism Production Manager

También podría gustarte