01 Apr 2020 - NPWJ News Digest on International Criminal Justice

Articles

Lawyers file evidence of Yemen war crimes in 3 jurisdictions
Middle East Monitor, 30 Mar 2020

Law firm Stoke White has filed evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity said to have been committed in Yemen. The firm made the submissions in three jurisdictions — Britain, the US and Turkey — on behalf of its clients. In a press release issued today, Stoke White explained that the applications have been made using UN mechanisms, requesting the authorities to investigate further the notorious Sanaa Funeral Hall bombing in 2016, the UAE’s use of mercenaries and allegations of torture in secret prisons in the country. The submissions are said to include evidence that officials and even authorities higher up in the coalition partners — notably the UAE and Saudi Arabia — as well as mercenaries were all involved directly in war crimes in Yemen. 

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Lawyers Oppose Contacting Victims Before Setting Ntaganda Reparations Award
International Justice Monitor, 27 Mar 2020

Legal representatives of victims have proposed that the International Criminal Court (ICC) should first issue a reparations order before it contacts victims that wish to benefit from reparations in the Bosco Ntaganda case. In submissions to judges who will determine the nature of the reparations, victims’ lawyer Dmytro Suprun suggested that no application-based process should be carried out to establish the victims entitled to reparations. 

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Why the US Should be Supporting, Not Undermining, International Justice
Human Rights Watch, 27 Mar 2020

 When U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stepped to the State Department podium on March 17 to threaten possible sanctions, the targets were not, as you might expect, human rights abusers. Instead, Pompeo called out two staff members of the International Criminal Court (ICC) by name and signaled the U.S. was looking to take action against them, other ICC personnel, and even their family members.

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The Trust Fund for Victims remains committed to support victims while navigating the impact of COVID-19
International Criminal Court, 26 Mar 2020

During these unprecedented difficult times of heightened safety risks and physical isolation, the Trust Fund for Victims at the International Criminal Court (ICC) sincerely hopes that you, our supporters, partners and communities are taking care of yourselves and coping with this stressful situation. The Trust Fund for Victims is entrusted to implement reparations and provide assistance to victims of crimes under the jurisdiction of the ICC – and to do so safely and responsibly. As the world comes to terms with an unprecedented health scare of COVID-19, these values remain to be of tremendous importance to us. 

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Kwoyelo Trial Suspended Due to COVID-19
International Justice Monitor, 26 Mar 2020

The trial of Thomas Kwoyelo, a former commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) is hanging in suspense over COVID-19. Judges scheduled the trial, which resumed on March 9 in Gulu after a two-month break, to run for three consecutive weeks, and the prosecution was expected to complete a key segment of evidence. 

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