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25 May 2022- NPWJ News digest on International Criminal Justice
Articles
Gunman kills 19 children in Texas school rampage
Associated Press, 25 May 2022
An 18-year-old gunman opened fire Tuesday at a Texas elementary school, killing at least 19 children as he went from classroom to classroom, officials said, in the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade and the latest gruesome moment for a country scarred by a string of massacres. The attacker was killed by law enforcement. President Joe Biden appeared ready for a fight, calling for new gun restrictions in an address to the nation hours after the attack.
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When War Crimes Evidence Disappears
Human Rights Watch, , 25 May 2022
Social Media Companies Can Preserve Proof of Abuses. This month, four high-ranking members of the US Congress took an important step to help obtain justice for war crimes worldwide. On May 12, the legislators called on the chief executives of YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, and Meta (formerly Facebook) to preserve and archive content on their platforms that might be evidence of war crimes in Ukraine. Companies understandably remove content that could incite violence, harm individuals, or jeopardize national security or public order. YouTube, for example, has reportedly removed 9,000 channels from its platform related to the Ukraine conflict
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Russian soldier sentenced to life in prison in Ukraine conflict's first war crimes trial
CNN, 23 May 2022
A 21-year-old Russian soldier was sentenced to life in prison on Monday for killing an unarmed man in Ukraine's first war crimes trial since Russia's invasion. The soldier, Vadim Shishimarin, had pleaded guilty to shooting a 62-year-old civilian to death on the fourth day of the conflict in late February. Before delivering the verdict on Monday, the court said that Shishimarin had "committed a criminal offense" according to international humanitarian law
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EU: Bolster Justice Efforts Worldwide
Human Rights Watch, 23 May 2022
EU Day Against Impunity Highlights Prospects, Challenges. The European Union (EU) and its member states should take concrete steps to strengthen the international justice system, including through national prosecutions of crimes under international law, 8 human rights groups said today. Member states should expand the reach of justice by adopting necessary laws, creating or reinforcing specialized war crimes units, strengthening cooperation among states, and providing greater financial and political support to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and other accountability mechanisms so they can impartially carry out their work.
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Palestine asks ICC to investigate Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing
Al Jazeera, 23 May 2022
The Palestinian foreign ministry has announced it has formally asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate the killing of veteran Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. Al-Maliki called on The Hague-based court to add Abu Akleh’s death to other crimes committed by Israel against Palestinians to facilitate an official investigation and bring Israel to accountability.
Belarus: New death penalty law is the ultimate attack on human rights
Amnesty International, 19 May 2022
Belarusian authorities have adopted a new law which introduces the death penalty for “attempts to carry out acts of terrorism.” Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:“Belarus is the only state in Europe and Central Asia which still uses the death penalty, the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. This law, which is against Belarus’ international obligations, expands the application of this cruel and inhumane punishment and for acts that do not qualify as intentional killing, is the latest display of Belarusian authorities’ profound disregard for human rights.
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