English
ItalianoCampaigning for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights, Democracy, the Rule of Law and International Justice
22 Feb - NPWJ News Digest on International Criminal Justice
Articles
South Africa’s Notification to Leave International Criminal Court Ruled Illegal
By The Wall Street Journal, 22 Feb 2017
JOHANNESBURG—The South African government’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court was unconstitutional because it failed to get approval from Parliament, a court ruled Wednesday. Judge Phineas Mojapelo at the High Court in Pretoria ordered the government of President Jacob Zuma to renounce its notification of withdrawal from the United Nations tribunal. The notice, lodged with the U.N. in October, had initiated a one-year process of extraction from the court, which was set up to end impunity for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. The opposition Democratic Alliance had challenged the decision, arguing that government had unlawfully bypassed Parliament when it served the notice. A spokesman for South Africa’s justice ministry declined to immediately comment on the ruling, which can still be appealed. The ruling, even if it stands, is likely only a temporary victory for the Democratic Alliance and the The Hague, Netherlands-based ICC. Mr. Zuma’s African National Congress, which holds a majority of the seats in Parliament, welcomed the withdrawal when it was announced in October.
Read More
Chad: Belgium - Hand Over Habré
BY LAUREN COMITEAU, Allafrica, 20 Feb 2012
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague has set public hearings for March in a case that has pitted Senegal against Belgium over the extradition of former Chadian president Hissene Habré.
Belgium, under the principal of universal jurisdiction, wants to try the former leader for alleged atrocities he committed while in power from 1982 to 1990.
The country brought its suit to the ICJ three years ago, saying that Senegal "is obliged to bring criminal proceedings against Mr. H. Habré for acts including crimes of torture and crimes against humanity" or, failing prosecution, is "obliged to extradite him to the Kingdom of Belgium so that he can answer for these crimes before the Belgian courts".
Uganda: American Politician Puts Bounty On Kony's Head
BY RAYMOND BAGUMA, Allafrica, 20 Feb 2012
A US Congressman has introduced a law which if passed, could place a reward for whoever arrests the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony's who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Edward Royce, the representative from California who also chairs the foreign affairs subcommittee on terrorism, nonproliferation, and trade, introduced the "Department of State Rewards Program Update and Technical Corrections Act of 2012."
A press statement issued on Friday from Royce's office said that the law aims to update the State Department's already existing Rewards Program, which was introduced in 1984 to offer rewards for information related to terrorists, narcotics traffickers and specific international war criminals.
Rebels release peacekeepers in Sudan's Darfur
Ulf Laessing and Khalid Abdelaziz, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb 2012
KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Rebels in Sudan's Darfur region said they released 49 international peacekeepers on Monday, hours after detaining them, but kept hold of three civilian staff they accused of working for the country's security service.
The joint U.N./African Union UNAMID peacekeeping force has been repeatedly caught in the crossfire during almost 10 years of fighting between government troops and insurgents in Sudan's remote west.
Read More
Crimes against humanity
By Dawn, 20 Feb 2012
RELATIVE peace may have been established in Sri Lanka, but questions are being raised about the costs involved. A resolution is to be tabled at the forthcoming session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva following a preliminary investigation by the UN which found that Sri Lanka’s “conduct of the war represented a grave assault on the entire regime of international law”.
Read More
Congo-Kinshasa: Last Prosecution Witness in Bemba Trial to Testify Wednesday
BY WAKABI WAIRAGALA, Allafrica, 20 Feb 2012
The last of 40 witnesses for International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors in the trial of Congolese opposition leader Jean-Pierre Bemba will commence his testimony on Wednesday, February 22, 2012.
The unnamed witness, who will testify via video link from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), had been scheduled to start giving evidence today. However, due to unknown reasons, he will now begin on Wednesday.
Continuation of dialogue uncertain, daily claims
By Albeu, 19 Feb 2012
Pristina is not satisfied with a model for Kosovo’s regional representation that was proposed by Belgrade.
The daily reports, quoting sources from the Serbian government, that Belgrade suggests that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and International Court of Justice’s opinion that the act of declaring the independence was not contrary to the international law should be written besides Kosovo’s name.
Nepal: Groups Call For Ensuring Truth, Reparation And Justice
By Eurasiareview, 19 Feb 2012
The government of Nepal should take immediate steps, with the full cooperation of the Nepal Army, to ensure truth, reparation, and justice for human rights abuses during the country’s decade long conflict, Advocacy Forum and Human Rights Watch said. The organizations called on the Nepal government, eight years after the still-unpunished torture and killing of 15-year-old Maina Sunuwar, to take immediate steps to end the deepening trend of impunity in Nepal.
Read More
Rwanda: Council Creates Special Chamber for International Crimes
By Allafrica, 16 Feb 2012
Kigali — Rwanda's Superior Council of the Judiciary on Wednesday set up a Special Chamber at the High Court to try international crimes. This Chamber is expected to try persons accused of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity transferred from foreign countries and from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).
The High Court is the second highest court in the land after the Supreme Court.