Amicus Curiae on “the activities of private companies engaged in the firearms industry and their effects in human rights”

On this occasion, Omega and CEJIL have the honour to submit to the Honourable Inter-American Court of Human Rights these written observations in connection with the request for an advisory opinion formulated by the United Mexican States on the obligations of States with regard to the right to life and personal integrity in relation to the activities of private arms companies.

This brief argues that States’ obligations to prevent torture and other ill-treatment and the arbitrary deprivation life requires them to prohibit the trade, production and use of weapons other than firearms that are inherently abusive, as well as to establish comprehensive and effective human rights-based controls on the production, trade and use of permitted less lethal weapons. The latter can and often are misused, affecting the right to integrity and even amounting to torture or ill-treatment3. Hence, international obligations concerning the right to life and personal integrity require States to prohibit the first group of weapons and strictly regulate the second group of weapons.Download report