Columbia Global Freedom of Expression is delighted to announce a call for nominations for the 2018 Global Freedom of Expression Prizes that celebrate judicial decisions and legal services around the world that strengthen freedom of expression by promoting international standards. We feel that at a time when freedom of expression is threatened globally, there is… Read more »
For the first time, some of the most important films about war crimes have been gathered together by award-wining film director Michael Christoffersen. “Milosevic on Trial”, “Saving Saddam” and “Genocide: The Judgement” are now available online from www.warcrimesfilms.com Warcrimesfilms.com’s unique collection has been used to date extensively by scholars, lawyers, journalists and experts around the… Read more »
The United Nations Human Rights Council has agreed to launch an independent investigation into the alleged human rights violations committed in Yemen by all parties in the civil war that has been ongoing now for three years. The decision was the result of lengthy discussions between the Saudis, the Arab League, the Netherlands, France, the… Read more »
On 25th September, Mahmoud Cherif Bassiouni, one of the most influential international criminal law professors, died at his Chicago home aged 79 due to complications from multiple myeloma. Often described as “the father of international criminal law,” he helped to set up the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 1998 after having spent much of his… Read more »
Human Rights at Sea publishes its Annual Report for the year ending May 2016 today. The 40-page report comprehensively lays out the development and achievements of the UK-based charity’s third year of operation. Founded in April 2014 by CEO David Hammond, the charity raises awareness and accountability for human rights in the maritime environment. Hammond… Read more »
Written by Laureen Bokanda-Masson Following the attack of border-control posts carried out by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on 25 August 2017, the Burmese military has responded by conducting repression operations leading to a new major wave of migration in an attempt by the Rohingya to flee inter-community violence. Though the tensions are largely… Read more »
The United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Burundi has urgently requested that the International Criminal Court (ICC) open an investigation into crimes against humanity being committed in the country. On 4th September 2017, it was confirmed at a meeting in Geneva that the Commission has… Read more »
Dan Plesch, Director of the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy at SOAS, University of London, has written an article for the news website “The Conversation”. Plesch’s article explains how documents from the Second World War reveal an alternative way to prosecute war crimes. To read the article, click below: https://theconversation.com/long-hidden-world-war-ii-files-offer-another-way-to-prosecute-war-crimes-83619 Image source: www.unwcc.org … Read more »
By Mohammed Subhan Hussain Earlier this month, a senior United Nations official encouraged increased support for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), cautioning that insufficient funding could jeopardize the progress made to date. Haile Menkerios, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union (AU) stated that: “It would be tragic, not least… Read more »
Over the last 11 days, approximately 123,000 Rohingya people have entered Bangladesh after becoming displaced from their homes in Northern Rakhine in Myanmar. The cause for this sudden mass migration is the violence that broke out in August between Myanmar security forces and members of the Rohingya community who the Myanmar authorities have labeled as… Read more »
By Mohammed Subhan Hussain The Department of Political Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC) called a meeting of the Human Rights and Transitional Justice Cluster of the African Governance Architecture from the 24th – 26th August in Arusha, Tanzania. The idea behind the conference… Read more »
Associate Member of 9 Bedford Row International, Jens Dieckmann, is to be keynote speaker at the International Nuremberg Human Rights Award 2017. Jens’ speech which is to be given in German is titled: “More than words…? The Probative Value of Photo Evidence in International Criminal Trials”…. Read more »
Professor William A. Schabas is to teach an upcoming short course on international criminal law at the Geneva Academy in Switzerland. Titled International Criminal Law: General Principles and International Crimes, the course will focus on the history of international criminal law and how it relates to both the international legal order and national justice institutions…. Read more »
By Mohammed Subhan Hussain On 25th July 2017, The Trust Fund for Victims at the International Criminal Court (ICC) submitted a draft plan to ICC Trial Chamber II detailing the scope of reparations to be ordered against Germain Katanga (pictured). On 7th March 2014, Mr Katanga was convicted of crimes against humanity, and four counts… Read more »
By Mohammed Subhan Hussain The Paraguayan parliament has accepted the implementation bill of the International Criminal Court (ICC), hoping that this will reinvigorate justice-centric advancements in domestic legislation. The bill was endorsed on 16th August 2017 after a lengthy process in the two chambers of Parliament and extensive deliberation from civil society. By including Rome… Read more »
‘Offences against the administration of justice and fair trial considerations before the International Criminal Court’ is the latest Discussion Paper from the IBA’s ICC & ICL Programme. This Discussion Paper seeks to provide the basis for a policy-level discussion on how the International Criminal Court (ICC) implements its jurisdiction over ‘offences against the administration of… Read more »
On 9th August 2017 the lower chamber of Parliament in Burundi, the National Assembly, adopted the bill on the setting up of the National Observatory for the Prevention and Eradication of Genocide, War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity. The observatory is responsible for monitoring the development of Burundian society from the perspectives of genocide, war… Read more »
By Harriet Page Periodically, ARC reviews the jurisprudence of the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights. In respect of Application No 006/2013, Wilfred Onyango Nganyi & 9 Others v United Republic of Tanzania, the following case summary has been prepared by Harriet Page on behalf of ARC. Application The Application was filed on… Read more »
On 17th August 2017, the International Criminal Court issued a Reparations Order to Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi (pictured), a Malian Islamist, who attacked religious and historic buildings in Timbuktu during 2012. The case is viewed as significant as it is the first ICC case addressing the destruction of monuments as a war crime. Trial… Read more »
By Mohammed Subhan Hussain The case relating to the capture of al-Bashir as well as the potential withdrawal of South Africa from the International Criminal Court represent serious challenges to the ICC. The South African government declared its withdrawal from the ICC on 19th October 2016. Nevertheless when tested in court, the judgment of the… Read more »
