international-justice8.035 min read
"Bali Bombing Families Confront Accused at Guantanamo Bay Hearing"
2 years ago•Source: BBC.com
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4.325 min•2 years ago
"Former Gambian Minister Ousman Sonko on Trial in Geneva for Murder and Crimes Against Humanity"
Ousman Sonko, former Gambian interior minister, is on trial in Switzerland for alleged complicity in torture, murder, and rape during the regime of former dictator Yahya Jammeh. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment, marking a pivotal case for Switzerland's universal jurisdiction principle. Sonko's trial represents a significant step towards justice for victims of Jammeh's regime, with the Gambian Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission recommending prosecution of Jammeh and his accomplices.
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Belarusian Official Faces Swiss Trial for Enforced Disappearances
Yahoo News•2 years ago
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UN Judges: Rwanda Genocide Suspect Kabuga Should Not Face Trial, Considered for Release
Al Jazeera English•2 years ago
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UN court declares Rwandan genocide suspect mentally unfit for trial.
The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) has ruled that Félicien Kabuga, an 88-year-old Rwandan genocide suspect, is no longer capable of "meaningful participation" in his trial due to a significant decline in his ability to care for himself. Kabuga is accused of broadcasting hateful propaganda and arming militias in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The court suggested an alternative procedure that resembles a trial as closely as possible, but without the possibility of a conviction.
UN court declares Rwandan genocide suspect unfit for trial due to dementia.
The UN court has declared that Rwandan genocide suspect Felicien Kabuga is unfit for trial due to health concerns and has called for an "alternative" legal procedure. Kabuga is accused of promoting hate speech through his broadcaster, Radio Television Libre des Milles Collines (RTLM), and arming ethnic Hutu militias. He was arrested in Paris in 2020 and sent to The Hague for trial. Kabuga did not attend court in person and followed the trial remotely via video-link from a wheelchair at the court's detention center.
Leaders on the Run: History Shows Arrest Warrants Catch Up with Them.
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his commissioner for children's rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, for allegedly directing the abduction of Ukrainian children, which amounts to war crimes. While Putin may be safe from arrest as long as he does not set foot in a country that is a member of the court, history shows that several leaders on the run eventually face charges in court. The ICC has issued 38 arrest warrants, arrested 21 people, convicted 10, and acquitted four. Even without prosecution, Putin's life will probably get much more difficult as a result of the arrest warrant.
Balancing Justice and Peace in Ukraine: Strategies for Accountability.
Gyunduz Mamedov, a former Ukrainian prosecutor, oversaw investigations into Russia's atrocities from 2016 to 2021, including the downing of flight MH17. He advocates for a legal mechanism, most likely a hybrid international court that also involves Ukrainian courts, to punish Russia's top leadership for the crime of aggression, among other things. Mamedov warns against regional solutions and advocates for a court created by the U.N. General Assembly. He also cautions against the lack of coordination between interested parties investigating war crimes in Ukraine.
The ICC's arrest warrant for Putin: A futile move?
The ICC's arrest warrants for Putin and his commissioner for children's rights only expose the irrelevance, compromise, and cowardice of the court. The ICC seems to curry favor with its western sponsors instead of casting the light of justice over the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the US-led west. The UK welcomes the decision on Putin, but it is unrealistic to think that there will be an arrest anytime soon. No such warrant has ever been issued for Tony Blair.
The Biden Administration's Dilemma: Prosecuting Russia for War Crimes in Ukraine.
The Biden administration is split on whether to aid the International Criminal Court's investigation of war crimes committed by Russia during its invasion of Ukraine. While some officials support turning over U.S.-gathered evidence of Russian crimes to the ICC, defense officials oppose U.S. involvement in the investigation because they fear it could set a precedent that could lead to the prosecution of Americans for past or future crimes. The U.S. has long held a hostile stance toward the ICC, but the invasion of Ukraine has brought renewed momentum to the quest for international justice and support for the ICC.