Government must scrap decision to exclude civil society from the WTO Ministerial Conference

The Argentine government has revoked the accreditation of key civil society actors before the World Trade Organization. It attempted to justify this action by admitting it was based on an analysis of organizations’ social networks that aimed to exclude those considered “disruptive.” CELS and other organizations jointly submitted a letter requesting that this decision be rescinded.

  

In defense of the agreements forged in democracy

On Monday, December 4, the 2017 Annual Report edited by Siglo XXI will become available. The prologue, which we are sharing in advance, calls attention to decisions, measures and events that adversely affect critical items on the human rights agenda as well as protection mechanisms. The government response to grave incidents, repeated incidents of repression and discourses about present-day threats and episodes from the past put the human rights consensuses achieved in Argentina on alert. These have been compounded by judicial decisions that take aim at some of the pillars of democracy. This situation requires safeguarding human rights principles from the dynamic of overall polarization.

  

The Argentine state will be evaluated at the UN

National organizations presented their assessments for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a peer evaluation of the human rights situation in each of the UN’s 193 member states. Argentina will be evaluated in early November.

  

Civilian responsibility: First conviction of a businessman on crimes against humanity revoked

A federal appeals court overturned the convictions of businessman Marcos Levín and three police officers, disregarding the context of worker persecution that existed in the 1970s and was evident in the case of Levín’s company, La Veloz del Norte. It also failed to acknowledge civilian and corporate complicity with the dictatorship and questioned the numerous witnesses who told of Levín’s presence at the place where torture was carried out.

  

The Right to Protest worldwide

We are unveiling an online platform that brings together original articles, videos and interviews on the right to protest, at a time when demonstrations are proliferating worldwide and states often respond with violence. This project was developed by openDemocracy, CELS and INCLO, with support from the ACLU.

  

Milagro Sala: Appeals court revoked her house arrest

The Chamber of Appeals and Control of Jujuy province revoked Milagro Sala’s house arrest today, without revealing the grounds for its decision and in utter breach of the precautionary measure ordered by the IACHR. The federal state, guarantor of Argentina’s international obligations, must take all the steps needed to fully comply with IACHR Resolution 23/2017.