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The Global Justice Center and Burma Lawyers' Council write an open letter to the Chief Justices for Asia and the Pacific regions on immediate action to remove Judge U Aung Toe as a participant in the Law Association for Asia and the Pacific's annual Conference of Chief Justices of Asia and the Pacific.
November 10, 2009
The Law Association for Asia and the Pacific (LAWASIA) hosts an annual conference for legal practitioners in the region. During the LAWASIA conference, the Conference of Chief Justices of Asia and the Pacific also convenes to discuss the role of the judiciary and the rule of law. Given the role that Burma's Chief Justice U Aung Toe has played in perpetrating grave breaches of international law, the Conference of Chief Justices is legally and ethically compelled to deny Judge U Aung Toe's participation. The Burma Lawyers' Council and the Global Justice Center wrote this open letter congratulating the Conference of Chief Justices on their accomplishments and urging them to take immediate action to remove Judge U Aung Toe as a participant in the Conference.
"Chief Justice U Aung Toe and other judges are guilty of crimes against humanity and war crimes, underlying crimes include first degree murder for the wrongful premeditated imprisoning of those persons who later died in prison from torture, killing, inadequate food, gross medical neglect and forced labor.
As Chief Justices, you stand as representatives of the core values underlying the rule of law: an independent judiciary. The integrity of the judiciary is threatened by the transformation of the judiciary in Burma into an instrument of crime. We request you take action on the matter of Chief Justice U Aung Toe in the interest of advancing global justice" - Open Letter to the Chief Justices for Asia and the Pacific.Click here to download the full text.