Annual International Conference on “The Future of Human Rights"
2022-06-16 14:00 - 18:00 (Europe/Rome) | Library Reading Room, Spinelli 5th floor D, Brussels, Belgium
European Parliament, Brussels, 16-17 June 2022
On 16-17 June 2022, the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) is holding a joint conference with Fight Impunity and No Peace without Justice, to shed light of abuses against human rights, to foster a better-informed public debate on the subject, and to help generate a stronger commitment to prioritise it with resources internationally.
The conference will bring together representatives from European Union and United Nations, international experts, academics, civil-society representatives, and actors engaged in the process of defending human rights and fighting against impunity worldwide. The protection of human rights and the fight against impunity are today, more than ever, a very major pressing global challenge and one that needs to be highlighted and addressed with urgency. In recent months, we have seen a very significant growth in grave human rights violations of various kinds, and the purpose of this conference will be to shed light on such abuse, to foster a better-informed public debate on this subject, and to help generate a greater commitment to prioritise it with appropriate resources internationally.
Please, register here to attend the conference (before June 11th at 6:00 pm): https://forms.gle/acNssrPFX2p8c1Py7
You can also attend this event online on Interactio, with no need for registration. Please click on the following link: https://broadcaster.interactio.eu/join/3m7x-bvl3-haig (only active on the days of the conference).

Program of the Conference
Date and time: 16 June, 14:00-18:00 / 17 June, 09:30-18:00
Venue: Library Reading Room, Spinelli 5th floor D, European Parliament, Brussels

HELP: towards a human-rights coordinated against terrorism
2022-06-22 08:00 - 2022-06-23 17:00
The threat of terrorism and the means to fight it efficiently with full respect of the rule of law and human rights is the concern of policy makers, law enforcement agencies and population at large. Operations conducted by many states within the framework of the so-called “war on terrorism” in recent years “have shown that a wide range of human rights are affected by counter terrorism measures, notably the right to life, the prohibition on torture or inhuman or degrading treatment, the right to liberty and security, the right to a fair trial, and respect for private and family life”.
Counter terrorism and radicalisation measures should respect, promote and ensure the protection of human rights. As stated by the United Nations Human Rights Council in its resolution 31/30 “the objectives of countering terrorism and of the protection and promotion of human rights are not conflicting but complementary and mutually reinforcing”. Policies which are compliant to human rights standards uphold the values that terrorist groups endeavour to destroy, weaken support for radicalism among potential advocates, and reinforce public confidence in the rule of law.
In this context and in the scope of supporting regional dynamics around the prevention and the countering of radicalisation, violent extremism and terrorism, the Council of Europe organises in Tunis on 22-23 June 2022 a “Regional Conference on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism: Towards a Human rights Coordinated approach” within the framework of the European-Union and the Council of Europe joint programs, the Regional Support to Reinforce Human rights, Rule of Law and Democracy in the Southern Mediterranean Program (South Programme IV) and the Support to Independent Bodies in Tunisia Project (PAII-T).
The event is organised jointly with the National Commission on Counterterrorism in Tunisia, the Higher Authority for Audio-visual Communication and No Peace Without Justice. The Conference has two objectives. The first is to establish the basis for a HELP regional training on repatriation, reintegration and rehabilitation of children in their countries. The second is to present two HELP contextualised courses on Counterterrorism and Violent Extremism, i.e Radicalisation Prevention and Combatting Hate Speech in the Audio-Visual Sector.

Concept note and program of the conference

For further information, please contact: Frej Fenniche: ffenniche@npwj.org – +216 56 441 505 (English, French, العربية)

Colloque sur le Sahel: développement, gouvernance et droits humains
2022-07-27 08:00 - 2022-07-28 17:00 | Online event
Nouakchott, Mauritanie, 27-28 juin 2022 et sur Zoom
Organisé par Fight Impunity, Maria Arena et le Groupe S&D, le Représentant spécial de l’UE pour le Sahel et No Peace Without justice.
Participer à la réunion Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89695483009?pwd=[REDACTED]
ID de réunion : 896 9548 3009 Code secret : [REDACTED]
Présentation du colloque:
Les pays de la zone sahélienne sont confrontés à des défis majeurs d’ordre sécuritaire, politique, économique et environnemental. Depuis plus d’une dizaine d’années le contexte de violence accrue dans la région amène à s’interroger sur l’efficacité des politiques, stratégies, instruments et dispositifs de réduction de la violence, de stabilisation et de développement tels que proposés par les bailleurs de fonds en partenariat avec les autorités nationales. Ces dernières années ont été sanglantes dans tous les pays de la région, causant des milliers de morts civils et militaires. Les violences commises par toutes les parties ont causé le déplacement de plus de quatre millions de personnes.
Le colloque de Nouakchott, sera l’occasion pour réfléchir sur les besoins et réalités vécues par les populations vivant dans des conditions économiques, sociales climatiques et sécuritaire difficiles ainsi que sur le rôle que l’Union européenne et les partenaires internationaux jouent dans la région en évaluant leur intervention et les résultats lesquels jusqu’à présent, n’ont pas été à la hauteur des attentes pour faire face aux défis sécuritaires de la région.
Les conclusions du colloque serviront à penser une approche nouvelle de partenariat entre l’Union européenne et les pays du Sahel dans le but de :

Améliorer les connaissances et éclairer les parlementaires européens sur les enjeux dans la sous-région et les outiller avec des éléments d’analyse pour pouvoir réfléchir au rôle de l’UE dans la région ;
Analyser les rôles et les limites de l’intervention des partenaires internationaux des pays de la région en vue d’approfondir la réflexion sur les réels besoins en termes d’interventions à faveur de la stabilité, les droits humains et la paix dans la région ;
Écouter les populations locales et les analystes locaux pour mieux intégrer leur point de vue dans la définition des politiques de l’UE dans la région ;
Formuler des recommandations en directions des décideurs africains et internationaux en vue d’un retour à la stabilité dans les pays de la région ;
Impliquer le grand public et la jeunesse dans la réflexion sur les thèmes de la stabilité et droits humains de la région.

Il s’agira donc, de dégager des recommandations concrètes pour une re -stabilisation durable du Sahel intégrant les préoccupations citoyennes.
Revue de presse:

https://tchad24.tv/le-sahel-une-digue-mal-en-point-les-promesses-de-colloque-de-nouakchott-du-27-au-28-juin/?fbclid=IwAR2ho43kQiSQ8Dnr9b27kl1G9g-TYzD-guPobViA9YWDR-P8r5RqObYksHM
https://cridem.org/C_Info.php?article=757471
https://www.camer.be/mobile/91330/6:1/afrique-g5-sahel-marie-arena-initie-une-grande-rencontre-entre-societe-civile-et-gouvernements-saheliens-africa.html

Présentation radiophonique

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3EcNeQH3tNhbH8sc3LWU4g

Strengthening Accountability Globally
2022-12-09 08:00 - 17:00 | The Hague, Oude Waalsdorperweg 10, The Hague, Netherlands
Side event to the 21st session of the Assembly of States Parties of the ICC
The expanded conflict in Ukraine has triggered a strong response from the international community, including through unprecedented support for a variety of justice initiatives to pursue accountability for grave international crimes. The range of initiatives demonstrates just how interconnected are the different elements and dimensions of what may be understood as the “ecosystem” to deliver justice for serious international crimes. In Ukraine, it remains to be seen how all these elements will coordinate and interact with each other, as has also been the case in other situations. Renewed attention now on the role of the ICC and the importance of accountability provides an opportunity to reflect on the linkages within the broader system and the concrete ways in which governments through their support for a range of justice-related initiatives can bolster the system globally.
These dimensions include:

Providing financial, political, and practical support to domestic, hybrid, and international courts tackling grave international crimes;
Expanding the ICC’s membership to extend the court’s reach and victims’ access to justice;
Criminalizing and prosecuting grave crime domestically, including by ensuring that adequate legal and institutional frameworks are in place;
Showing greater consistency in the judicial response to atrocities wherever they occur; and
Restraining the use of the UN Security Council veto in situations of mass atrocities.

This side event aims to explore different elements and dimensions of the international justice ecosystem and discuss concrete steps that civil society organisations and governments are already taking to achieve the goal of bolstering accountability for serious crimes globally.
Opening remarks: Amb. Jaime Moscoso Valenzuela, Ambassador of Chile to the Netherlands
Panel:

Ehsan Qaane, Transitional Justice Coordination Group
Matevž Pezdirc, Head of EU Genocide Network Secretariat
Nadia Volkova, Ukraine Legal Advisory Group
Amb. Jose Antonio Zabalgoitia, Ambassador of Mexico to the Netherlands
Maria Elena Vignoli, Human Rights Watch

Moderator: Michelle Reyes Milk, No Peace Without Justice

Justice for the Rohingya: Paths Forward
2022-12-09 08:00 - 17:00 | The Hague, Oude Waalsdorperweg 10, The Hague, Netherlands
Side event to the 21st session of the Assembly of States Parties of the ICC

Overview
Program Strategy
Program Activities
Program History
Partners & Donors

In the margins of the 21th Session of the International Criminal Court Assembly of States Parties, the Delegations of Bangladesh and The Gambia to the ICC and No Peace Without Justice are convening a Side-event on “Justice for the Rohingya: Paths Forward”, to be held on 9 December 2021 (08h30 hrs CET).
In November 2019, at the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Pre-Trial Chamber authorised the Prosecutor to open an investigation into the situation in Bangladesh/Myanmar over alleged crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution on grounds of ethnicity and/or religion against the Rohingya population. The investigation is currently ongoing.
At the same time, The Gambia suo moto filed the Rohingya case as a universal concern, by bringing genocide allegations before the International Court of Justice (ICJ); and seeking provisional measures directed towards ending the genocide, punishing the perpetrators who committed it and protecting and preserving the relevant evidence. The ICJ ordered provisional measures, including that Myanmar prevent and punish the commission of genocide and report to the ICJ periodically on measures to implement those provisional measures. Two weeks before the coup in early 2021, Myanmar lodged an objection to the case. With that pending, Myanmar’s Counter-Memorial is due in April 2023
Meanwhile, in Argentina, a universal jurisdiction Case was filed by Mr Tun Khin, President of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK), alleging serious crimes including genocide against the Rohingya. On 26 November 2021, The Second Chamber of the Federal Criminal Court in Buenos Aires confirmed that it would launch a case against senior Myanmar officials, including General Min Aung Hlaing and much of the current junta’s senior leadership. Most recently, the Argentine Courts have sought relevant information from Meta in relation to material posted on Facebook that vilifies the Rohingya and spreads false information.
All the three Cases came together in a “perfect storm” in November 2019; despite their slow progression, the Cases continue to raise hopes that justice might eventually become a reality for the Rohingyas.
Three years on, this ASP side event aims to take stock of justice efforts for the Rohingyas, examining these efforts in the broader geopolitical context, including the influence of external circumstances, and in light of the expectations of Rohingya human rights activists and others. At the conclusion of the event, participants are expected to have a deeper understanding of the human rights situation for the Rohingyas, an appreciation of the wider geopolitical significance of the Cases and a greater commitment to the pursuit of justice in all appropriate fora.
Speakers at the side-event include:

Nazhat Shameem Khan, ICC Deputy Prosecutor in charge of the Myanmar/Bangladesh case
Mr. Hussein Thomasi , Solicitor General and Legal Secretary, Government of Gambia
Ambassador Laetitia Van Den Assum, former member of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State
Tun KHIN, President of Burma Rohingya Organisation UK
M Riaz Hamidullah, Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Netherlands

Moderator: Representative from No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ)

Please register: hhttps://forms.gle/jPrmtWc7abtvCJVC8
RSVP: mission.hague@mofa.gov.bd
Concept note and program

INPT International Colloquium: “Monitoring of detention conditions of people in vulnerable situation”
2023-11-23 - 2023-11-24 | Tunis, Tunis
On 23-24 November 2023, the Tunisian National Authority for the Prevention of Torture (INPT) is convening its eigth annual international colloquium in Tunis focusing on “Monitoring of detention conditions of people in vulnerable situation”.

Participants include high-level representatives of UN bodies and agencies and the African Union, members of civil society organisations and international experts, including Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, Secretary-General of No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ), and Frej Fenniche, MENA régional Representative of NPWJ. The purpose of the two-day colloquium is to discuss the various strategies and mechanisms aimed at the prevention of torture and the protection of human rights of detainees in situation of vulnerability, the causes and the factors of vulnerability, as well as to exchange know-how and good practices in the monitoring of the conditions of detention and the treatment of vulnerable persons.
The event is co-organised by UNDP-Tunisia, in cooperation with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT), OMCT – Réseau SOS Torture, No Peace Without Justice, Al-Kawakibi Democracy Transition Centre, Danish Institute for Human Rights, EuroMed Rights, Dignity (Danish Institute against Torture), Trust (Transition Redevable pour la Société Tunisienne) and DCAF-Geneva.
For further information, please contact Frej Fenniche (MENA Regional representative) on ffenniche@npwj.org or Nicola Giovannini (Press & Public Affairs Coordinator) on ngiovannini@npwj.org.

"After a Drug War: Ending Extrajudicial Drug War Killings and Extending Transitional Justice for Victims"
2024-03-21 14:00 - 15:00 | vienna, Austria
Side event, 67th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Vienna, 21 March 2024
Zoom (with optional registration): https://bit.ly/afteradrugwar
Zoom (direct meeting access): https://bit.ly/afteradrugwar-noreg
https://stopthedrugwar.org/ruleoflaw
Keynote Speaker: Leila de Lima
Senator, Republic of the Philippines from 2016-2022
(via Zoom)
Panel:
Agnès Callamard, Secretary General, Amnesty International (via Zoom)
Zaved Mahmood, Human Rights and Drug Policy Advisor, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Socorro Reyes, Human Rights Defender and Former University Professor of Leila de Lima
Intro by David Borden, Executive Director, DRCNet Foundation AKA StoptheDrugWar.org.
Panel and speaker-audience discussion moderated by Father Albert Alejo, Faculty of Social Sciences, Pontifical Gregorian University
and member of Board of Directors of No Peace Without Justice.
Drug wars sometimes lead to serious human rights abuses, of which the worst may be extrajudicial killings or real or supposed drug suspects. These can serve as an authoritarian populist tool by unprincipled leaders, both politically and as a weapon against political opposition and media. “After a Drug War” will discuss the experiences of countries that have suffered from this problem, and of leaders who have paid a price for standing up to it.
“After a Drug War” is organized by DRCNet Foundation AKA StoptheDrugWar.org, with cosponsors Human Rights and People Empowerment Center, NoBox Philippines, US Filipinos for Good Governance, Forum Droghe Associazione Movimento per il Contenimento dei Danni , No Peace Without Justice, and Alza Vita di Roma.
Please contact David Borden at +1 202-236-8620 or borden@drcnet.org for further information.
Visit https://stopthedrugwar.org/ruleoflaw for more about our work in this area, and visit https://stopthedrugwar.org/global for more about our work in the international system.

Human Rights in the Philippines: Accountability for continuing and past extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and abductions
2024-03-27 12:00 - 13:00 | Human Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland
Side event, UN Human Rights Council, 55th Session, 27 March 2024, Room XXV, 12:00-13:00, Hybrid

Watch live on Youtube

Speakers
Leila de Lima – Former Secretary of Justice, former Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights and former Senator of the Philippines
Alison Smith – Legal Counsel and International Justice Director, No Peace Without Justice
Socorro Reyes – Regional Governance Advisor, Centre for Legislative Development, Senior Research Fellow, La Salle Institute of Governance, Manila, Philippines
Samantha David – Project Development Officer, Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates
Moderator
Albert Alejo – Associate Lecturer, Faculty of Social Sciences, Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy.
Organised by Franciscans International • Amnesty International • Alza Vita • CIVICUS • Dominicans for Justice and Peace • Fastenaktion • Forum-Asia • Human Rights Watch • iDefend • International Service for Human Rights • No Peace Without Justice • PAHRA • StoptheDrugWar.org • Task Force Detainees of the Philippines • World Council of Churches • World Organisation Against Torture
Background
The “war on drugs” was started by then-President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016. It continues under the current President, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who was elected in June 2022. Monitoring by the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center shows that drug-related extrajudicial killings were higher in the first year of the Marcos administration than in the final year of the Duterte administration. According to official statistics, between 1 July 2016 and 31 May 2022, 6,252 people were killed by state agents. According to human rights groups, the figure rises to 30,000 when taking into account killings by unidentified gunmen.
The UN Human Rights Council adopted two resolutions in 2019 and 2020 in response to the worsening human rights situation in the Philippines. HRC 45/33 in 2020 on technical cooperation and capacity-building for the promotion and protection of human rights in the Philippines and HRC 51/58 acknowledge the UN Joint Program for Human Rights (UNJP), aimed at pursuing a human rights-based approach to drug control and strengthening accountability mechanisms. The UNJP is ending in 2024. The program has shown disappointing results, with only three perpetrators in extrajudicial killings cases having been convicted as of November 2023. Despite this, the UNJP remains an important platform for civil society engagement with the Government. The Government, however, has not shown any interest in continuing the program as it stands and is pursuing a dilution of the program that would see civil society engagement considerably weakened.
The Government has also consistently refused to cooperate with the investigation being conducted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into possible crimes against humanity committed across the Philippines during the administration of Duterte. The Government has argued that the court no longer has jurisdiction over the Philippines after withdrawing from the ICC in March 2019.
In addition to continued impunity with regard to human rights violations committed during the “drug war”, the Philippines has been seeing rising extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, abductions, arbitrary arrests, attacks, harassment, threats and intimidation against human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society organisations as part of “red-tagging” practices by the Government aimed at muzzling civic space and shutting down democratic dissent.
Within the framework of the 55th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, it is important to provide updates on the latest developments with regard to the human rights situation in the Philippines and to share the views of civil society in the Philippines and of UN Human Rights Experts.
Our Side Event seeks to provide this opportunity, in particular with the presence of former Senator Ms. Leila de Lima. Leila de Lima has been a staunch critic of Duterte’s anti-human rights policies. As a consequence of her persistent activism and her pursuit of accountability, she spent almost seven years behind bars on fabricated drug trafficking charges with manufactured testimonies being presented against her. In November 2023, Senator de Lima was granted bail on the final charge against her by Marcos’ administration. Senator de Lima will address the gathering, accompanied by the team that has been fighting for her freedom and pushing for justice for crimes committed in the Philippines during the “drug war”.
Objectives

To reflect on the way forward with regard to civic space in the Philippines in the face of continued and mounting assaults on freedom of opinion, expression, association and assembly.
To discuss the role that misogyny and gender-based discrimination have played in the vilification and harassment of women HRDs in the Philippines, through the prism of the very public case of Senator de Lima.
To share efforts of human rights organizations to support EJK widows and orphans of the horrific “Drug War” policy in the Philippines in rebuilding their lives.
To reflect on the failures and achievements of the UN Joint Program in light of regressive Government proposals for the next iteration and to reiterate calls for an evaluation of the program by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

– For further information, please contact Nicola Giovannini at ngiovanninni@npwj.org

NPWJ will celebrate its thirtieth anniversary with an International Conference in Rome
2024-05-18 | Campidoglio, Rome, Italy
On Saturday 18 May 2024, Non c’è Pace Senza Giustizia / No Peace Without Justice will celebrate its thirtieth anniversary with an International Conference at the Campidoglio, in Rome.
Over these thirty years, NPSG has waged countless battles for justice and accountability, giving voice to the victims of atrocities and fighting against impunity for violations and crimes of international law. We have done so through international advocacy campaigns; on-the-ground documentation of crimes; legal and technical support for negotiations; contributions to the jurisprudence, and doctrine, as well as our role in the establishment and functioning of international justice mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court.
The common thread that ties these initiatives together is the belief that freedom for each of us is only a Right if it is protected by law; human rights must not just be aspirations, but must be backed and guaranteed by effective institutional and legal mechanisms that ensure compliance. Throughout our work, we have observed and directly experienced how impunity and the denial of justice create power dynamics based on the denial of freedom and violence: “dove c’è strage di diritto, c’è strage di popoli.”
The scale and brutality of atrocities committed before the eyes of the world to this day, and especially the impunity with which they are now openly flaunted, seem to deny the very existence of law and the legitimacy of the accountability mechanisms that we have helped set up over the past thirty years. But the conclusion we firmly reject is that international law is therefore irrelevant or useless.
On the contrary, increasing impunity is what makes it all the more necessary for us to reaffirm that universal rules and principles of law do exist and must be applied. We therefore turn these rules and principles into action, through our commitment to support indigenous communities in the Amazon fighting for the simple right to exist, or in Libya alongside human rights defenders opposing oppression and violence, as well as our colleagues in Ukraine as much as in the Philippines, in Myanmar as much as in Palestine, in Sudan as much as in Afghanistan.
For this reason, the purpose of the Conference, to which will participate political leaders, human rights defenders and civil society activists from various parts of the world, is not only to celebrate with us the milestone of thirty years of political initiatives, but above all to help us imagine the next thirty years, and how to turn the challenges we face today into sustained new actions in favour of freedom, law, peace and, therefore, justice.
Participation in the event is free, but registration on Eventbrite is required: https://bit.ly/NPWJat30
Live Streaming:
https://tinyurl.com/Youtube-NPWJ30Y-EN (English)
https://tinyurl.com/Youtube-NPWJ30Y-IT (Italian)
For more information, please contact info@npwj.org
Preliminary Program
(Click here to download the pdf version)
08:30 – 09:00 Arrival of Participants: Coffee and Registration
09:10 Participants Seated
09:15 Welcome Greetings
Roberto Gualtieri, Mayor of Rome (TBC)
Mattia Peradotto, National Office Against Racial Discrimination, Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Rosario Aitala, First Vice-President, International Criminal Court
09:30 Opening: Tara O’Grady, President of NPWJ
Keynote: Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi, former ICC and ICC-ASP President
09:45 Call to Action: Chief Raoni, Indigenous Leader
10:00 Accountability in Action
Moderator: Niccolò Figà Talamanca, NPWJ Secretary General
Nazhat Khan, Deputy Prosecutor, International Criminal Court
Alpha Sesay, Deputy Minister of Justice, Republic of Sierra Leone
Isatou Touré, former Vice-President of Gambia
Almir Narayamogs Suruí, Indigenous Paiter Suruí Leader, Rondônia, Brazil
Nader Nadery, Afghan Human Rights Activist, Senior Fellow at the Wilson Centre
Emma Bonino, founder of No Peace Without Justice
11:15 Keynote: Hatice Cengiz, Scholar and Human Rights Activist
11:30 Coffee Break on the Terrazza della Protomoteca (meeting with the press in “Sala Laudato Si”)
12:00 International Advocacy
Moderator: Fabio Maria Galiani, International Criminal Lawyer
Interventions:
Maurício Ye’kwana, Yanomami and Ye’kwana leader, Roraima State, Brazil
Barbara Ibrahim, Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement, American Univ Cairo
Khady Koita, Human Rights Activist and President of La Palabre, Thiès, Senegal
Richard Bennett, UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Afghanistan
Giovanni Fontana, Human Rights Activist, Co-Founder of Second Tree
Ahmed Abofoul, Int’l Lawyer and a Human Rights Advocate, Al-Haq, Palestine
Marcos Orellana, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Toxics
13:15 Colazione on the Terrazza of the Protomoteca
14:30 The International Legal Environment and the Problem of Compliance
Moderator: Marco Perduca, NPWJ Board Members
Interventions:
Mauro Politi, former ICC Judge, Professor at the University of Trento
Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Palestine
Nasser Algheitta, Professor of International law and Human Rights, Libya
Victor Ochen, Human Rights Activist, Executive Director of AYINET Uganda
Salvatore Zappalà, Professor of International Law, Univesity of Catania
Rodney Dixon KC, South African International Human Rights Lawyer, London
David Donat-Cattin, Professor of International Law and Climate Change, Center for Global Affairs, NYU
16:00 Closing Session
Moderator: Albert Alejo, Human Rights and Peoples Empowerment Centre, Philippines
Interventions:
Leila De Lima, former Senator, Philippines (v)
Sayed Yousif Almuhafdha, Bahraini Human Rights Activist and Researcher
Flavia Lattanzi, Professor emeritus Int’l Law, Un. Roma Tre, ad litem Judge ICTY/ICTR
Hussein Sabbagh, Syrian Human Rights Activist, Euro Syrian Democratic Forum
Barbaros Sansal, Turkish Human Rights Activist
Niccolò Figà Talamanca, NPWJ Secretary General
17:15 Vote of Thanks
Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi, former ICC and former ICC-ASP President
Tara O’Grady, NPWJ President
17:30 Aperitivo on the Terrazza of the Protomoteca
18:00 Assemblea dei Soci di Non c’è Pace Senza Giustizia ETS (No Peace Without Justice ETS AGM)
20:00 Tour of the Musei Capitolini : “La Notte dei Musei”

Con il Patrocinio del Comune di Roma

Theatrical performance and conference highlighting the plight of Prisoners, Missing Persons, and Torture Victims in Syria
2024-06-25 17:00 - 20:00 | De Zeyp, Brussels, Belgio
On 25 June 2024, No Peace Without Justice, together with a number of Syrian human rights organisations, are organising an event in Brussels at De Zeyp (Rue Zeyp 47, 1083 Ganshoren) with the aim to highlight the plight of Prisoners, Missing Persons, and Torture Victims in Syria.
The main highlight of the event is a theatrical performance titled “Galati” by Nawar Bulbul, telling the story of French journalist Michel Seurat. The performance of “Galati” serves not only as a powerful reminder of the suffering endured but also as a call to action for the global community to end these human rights violations.
In addition to the play, there will be speeches from representatives of human rights organizations and testimonies from survivors, emphasizing the conference’s goals:
– Demanding the release of all prisoners in Syrian prisons, regardless of nationality, with a focus on Syrians, Lebanese, and Palestinians.
– Calling on Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, the Syrian Democratic Forces, and armed factions to unconditionally release all political prisoners.

The inhumane conditions in Assad’s prison dungeons violate all human rights laws, and the international community’s failure to stop this brutality normalises violence and brutality. It has now been thirteen years, and the fate of most activists imprisoned in Assad’s jails remains unknown. The Syrian regime has not distinguished between Syrians and others. The Caesar photos proved that both Syrians and non-Syrians, including Lebanese, Palestinians, Jordanians, and Iraqis, died under torture. Just a few weeks ago, the U.S. State Department announced the death of Syrian-American doctor Majd Kamalmaz under torture in Syrian regime prisons.
This event is part of a series taking place from 20 to 30 June 2024, in various cities across Syria, Turkey and Europe. These dates were chosen to coincide with the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26 June, reinforcing our commitment to raising awareness about these atrocities and advocating for justice.

Side Event “Philippine Cooperation and ASP Support: Their Implications for Asia and the ICC System”
2024-12-03 | The Hague, Oude Waalsdorperweg 10, The Hague, Netherlands
23rd ASP to the ICC, The Hague, 3 December 2024, 13.15 -14.45 (Antartica, World Forum)
Co-hosted by Center Law, Justice and Peace Netherlands, Network against Killings in the Philippines (NAKPhil), No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ), Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court (PCICC) and StoptheDrugWar.org

Side-event “Getting the ICC to a Meaningful Legacy: Challenges and Opportunities in Situation “Completions”
2024-12-03 | The Hague, Oude Waalsdorperweg 10, The Hague, Netherlands
23rd ASP to the ICC, The Hague, 3 December 2024, 8.30-9.45 (Europe 1 & 2)
Co-hosted by Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Human Rights Watch, (HRW), Lawyers For Justice in Libya (LFJL), No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ)

The ICC as a permanent institution does not face the same pressures experienced at ad hoc tribunals to complete or wind down their work. At the same time, however, robust situation-specific strategies regarding how the court will assess that its work is complete in a given situation will enable the court to (a) define and better support the execution of its mandate to provide meaningful justice in each of its situation countries; (b) consolidate its legacy in those countries; and (c) communicate clearly with its stakeholders to inform expectations, minimize disappointment and disillusionment, and maximize cooperation and support. The 2020 Independent Expert Review also recommended the development of such strategies from the outset of an investigation.
Elements of “completion” are already underway at the court. In 2021, the Office of the Prosecutor issued its Policy on Situation Completion, and has since announced the completion of the investigation phase—the first of two parts of the completion process under the policy–in Georgia, Central African Republic, Kenya, and Uganda. The prosecutor has also announced that his office plans to complete investigations in Libya by the end of 2025. Libya is the first situation in which the Office of the Prosecutor has provided advance notice of its intention to complete the investigation phase in a country situation. This provides an opportunity to reflect on the Office’s approach to completion, distill lessons learned from its practice to date in situations where investigations have been completed as well as from other tribunals, and make forward-looking recommendations to the Office of the Prosecutor, and the court more broadly.
Please join us for a panel discussion exploring these issues in the margins of the 23rd Assembly session with:

Alison Smith, No Peace Without Justice
Sarah Kasande, International Center for Transitional Justice
Representative of the ICC Office of the Prosecutor
Serena Zanirato, Lawyers for Justice in Libya representative

The discussion will be moderated by Maria Elena Vignoli, Human Rights Watch. H.E. Corinne Cicéron Bühler, Ambassador of Switzerland to the Netherlands, will deliver opening remarks.
– Download the flyer of the event
– Check also NPWJ and HRW joint submission on the ICC Office of the Prosecutor draft Policy on Situation Completion

Quelle Europe pour les femmes de la diversité ?
2024-12-10 16:00 - 18:30 | European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium
Parlement européen (Bruxelles), bâtiment Paul-Henri Spaak 4B1, 10 décembre 2024 de 16h à 18h15
Animé par des figures engagées, ce débat abordera les questions d’inclusion, d’égalité et de lutte contre les violences, les discriminations et le racisme. Par cette rencontre, nous souhaitons mettre en valeur des parcours de femmes migrantes, pour leur permettre de partager leurs expériences de terrain et les défis qu’elles rencontrent en matière de participation citoyenne.
Ces échanges serviront à la rédaction d’un Manifeste de propositions pour une Europe universaliste, solidaire et ouverte à la diversité. Ce manifeste visera à renforcer l’intégration et l’action des femmes migrantes pour soutenir nos plaidoyers à la veille du bilan de Pékin +30.
Orateurs :

Djemila Benhabib, politologue et écrivaine, présidente du Collectif Laïcité Yallah
Elenie Bernard, animatrice en éducation permanente du Collectif des femmes
Niccolo’ Figà-Talamanca, No Peace Without Justice
Kady Koita, présidente de La Palabre Asbl (Sénégal-Belgique) et experte internationale des violences sexuelles faites aux femmes et aux filles.
Adèle Mukadi Masengo, Maison de l’Initiative Citoyenne
Lailuma Sadid, journaliste afghane en exil.

Rencontre organisée avec le soutien d’Estelle Ceulemans, Députée – Groupe de l’Alliance Progressiste des Socialistes et Démocrates au Parlement européen.
Cette rencontre s’inscrit dans le cadre du 3ème festival des droits humains au féminin se tenant à Bruxelles du 7 au 10 décembre 2024.
– Formulaire d’inscription

"Beyond Rhetoric: The EU's Role in Upholding International Justice"
2025-03-06 11:30 - 12:30 | European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium
On 6 March 2025, the European Parliament hosted a crucial discussion as part of the Third EUmans Congress. Co-organised by EUmans, No Peace Without Justice and Parliamentarians for Global Action, this session entitled “Beyond Rhetoric: The EU’s Role in Upholding International Justice” focused on the rising threats to international justice, with a particular emphasis on the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC is facing significant challenges from multiple fronts. These include sanctions and targeted hybrid campaigns from States who are not parties to the Rome Statute, as well as troubling actions by ICC States Parties, ranging from selective cooperation to outright violations of the duty to cooperate, including recently a State Party facilitating the escape of an ICC fugitive. These attacks are seriously undermining the Court’s effectiveness and the EU and its Member States have failed to take concrete action in support of the Court or even to uphold their legal obligations.
During the event, Mr Osvaldo Zavala Giler, ICC Registrar, briefed Members of Parliament about the impact on the Court of the multiple attacks against its operations and independence. Members of the European Parliament from diverse political groups and representatives from civil society discussed how the EU and its Member States can effectively address these challenges and reaffirm and comply with their legal obligations to defend and support international justice.
The session was intended to explore the EU’s critical role in safeguarding the ICC, ensuring compliance with its rulings, and reinforcing the international rule of law. Among the key discussion points, panelists addressed:
● The growing array of threats to the ICC, including sanctions, selective support for investigations, and non-compliance with the Court’s rulings.
● The EU’s legal responsibility to ensure Member States uphold ICC decisions, including a discussion of the potential legal consequences for non-compliance.
● The role of the EU’s Blocking Statute, a critical tool designed to counter non-EU sanctions.
The session also called for a unified EU approach to defending the ICC and the Rome Statute, ensuring that political compromises, selective enforcement, and non-compliance do not undermine the EU’s commitment to international justice.Aligned with EUmans’ principles, the event also encouraged public engagement and advocacy, urging EU citizens to hold the EU and its Member States accountable for upholding foundational values and legal responsibilities in defending global justice.
EUmans is a pan-European movement focusing on promoting fundamental rights, sustainability, and democratic innovation through civic participation and transnational initiatives. Their Third Congress represented a crucial moment to collectively decide on future challenges and invest in the expansion of European democracy, driven by a citizen-led movement
Agenda of the session
11:40 – 12:30 “Beyond Rhetoric: The EU’s Role in Upholding International Justice”
– Chair: Niccolò FIGÀ-TALAMANCA – Secretary General, No Peace Without Justice
– Keynote speaker: Osvaldo ZAVALA GILER – Registrar of the International Criminal Court
– Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR – MEP, S&D
– Hanna GEDIN – MEP, The Left
– Alice AUTIN – Communications and International Justice Officer at Human Rights Watch
– Frederika SCHWEIGHOFEROVA – Director of International Law and Human Rights Program at Parliamentarians for Global Action

Video recording of the session
See specific report of the session on PGA website
Program and concept note of the session

For further information or media enquiries, please contact: Nicola Giovannini (ngiovannini@npwj.org) – Lorenzo Mineo (lorenzo.mineo@eumans.org)

Shared Mistakes: Societies Address Mass Incarceration, the Death Penalty and Extrajudicial Killings
2025-03-11 16:30 - 17:00 | vienna, Austria
Side event at the 68th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs
in-person: March 11, 4:30-5:00pm CET, Room M0E05, Vienna International Center
Zoom (with optional registration): https://bit.ly/sharedmistakes
Zoom (direct meeting access): https://bit.ly/sharedmistakes-noreg
Speakers:
Father Albert Alejo SJ, Faculty of Social Sciences, Pontifical Gregorian University
Kemba Smith-Pradia, Kemba Smith Foundation (see bio below)
Jiavern Tham, Project Officer, HAYAT
Reaction from:
Alison Smith, Legal Counsel and International Justice Director, No Peace Without Justice
Moderator:
David Borden, Executive Director, DRCNet Foundation AKA StoptheDrugWar.org
Across the world, many countries have imposed draconian legal sanctions, and sometimes illegal sanctions, in response to real or alleged drug law violations. “Shared Mistakes” will focus on the issues of mass incarceration, the death penalty, and extrajudicial killings, with speakers from Malaysia, the Philippines and United States discussing the policies and achieved or hoped-for reforms.
“Shared Mistakes” is organized by DRCNet Foundation AKA StoptheDrugWar.org, with Associazone Luca Coscioni, Drug Policy Alliance, European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies, Forum Droghe, HAYAT and No Peace Without Justice.

Flyer of the side event
Bio of Kemba Smith-Pradia

Please contact David Borden at +1 202-236-8620 or borden@drcnet.org for further information. Visit https://stopthedrugwar.org/ruleoflaw and https://stopthedrugwar.org/global to read about our international programs.

Accountability for Crimes Against Migrants. International Criminal Responsibility for Aiding and Abetting Crimes Against Humanity
2025-03-26 15:00 - 16:00 | Human Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland
Side Event at the 58th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

Date & Time: Wednesday, 26 March 2025 | 15:00 – 16:00 CET
Venue: Conference Room XXV, Palais des Nations, United Nations, Geneva
Live streaming on Facebook: https://fb.me/e/81BR9CWft
Organisers: No Peace Without Justice, Refugees in Libya, front-LEX, Ligue Tunisienne pour la Défense des Droits de l’homme, EuroMed Rights, Comité pour le Respect des Libertés et des Droits de l’Homme en Tunisie, Avocats Sans Frontières, European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, Mouvement contre le Racisme et pour l’Amitié entre les Peuples

This side event to the 58th Session of the UN Human Rights Council will examine the individual criminal liability under international law of European policymakers and high-level decision-makers for aiding and abetting crimes against humanity committed against migrants. It will explore the legal implications of providing systematic support, such as funding, naval assets, vehicles, equipment, supplies, and intelligence necessary to intercept and capture migrants, to militias or third-country authorities responsible for atrocities including illegal refoulement, arbitrary detention, rape and torture.
The event is held under the High Patronage of Mr Adama Dieng, AU Special Envoy on the Prevention of Genocide and Other Mass Atrocities, who will deliver the opening statement. The keynote address will be delivered by Professor Siobhán Mullally, UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons. The panellists will provide direct factual testimonies evidencing the nexus between specific European decisions and practices and the crimes committed against migrants, and will discuss the legal basis for individual criminal liability under international law of those aiding and abetting atrocities.
By exposing these violations and their legal consequences, the event seeks to end impunity for atrocities committed against migrants, encourage a critical reassessment of European migration policies that fuel widespread human rights abuses, and provide a timely reminder that actions by individuals, irrespective of their official positions, carry legal consequences under international law.
Agenda
– Chair: Giovanni Fontana, Second Tree
– Introduction: Dr. Adama Dieng, AU Special Envoy on the prevention of Genocide and other Mass Atrocities
– Keynote Address: Prof. Siobhán Mullally, UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children
– Panel Discussion:
David Yambio, Refugees in Libya
Dr. Omar Shatz, front-LEX
Dr. Niccolò Figà-Talamanca, No Peace Without Justice
– Testimonies: Fadhel Jemmali, son of detained human rights defender Mustapha Djemmali
– Q&A: Interventions from the floor

Flyer of the side event
Background paper

For further information, please contact Raul Suarez (rsuarez@npwj.org) or Nicola Giovannini (ngiovannini@npwj.org)

Accountability for Wartime Environmental Crimes: Legal Pathways, Community Voices, and International Responsibility
2025-06-20 16:00 - 17:00 | Human Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland
Date and time: 20 June 2025, 16:00 – 17:00 CET
Venue: United Nations Palais des Nations, Geneva, Conference Room XXV
Live streaming on Facebook; https://fb.me/e/3fv9ViuXV
Organisers: No Peace Without Justice, Truth Hounds, Prosecutor’s General Office of Ukraine, Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva
The side-event aims to raise visibility of Ukraine’s documentation and accountability efforts. Ukrainian civil society and authorities have begun systematically documenting environmental war crimes. Ukrainian NGOs, including Truth Hounds, have compiled over hundreds of cases of suspected environmental crimes. Yet, much of the harm is not yet systematically documented. This side event will spotlight those documentation efforts, share key findings to date, and underscore the need to complete documentation efforts at a standard that ensures high evidentiary value of the information collected.
The event also aims to advance legal and policy discussions on environmental crimes. The event will explore how existing law applies to such deliberate destruction. International humanitarian law explicitly prohibits methods of warfare “expected to cause widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment”, and many Russian actions qualify as war crimes, helping explore legal avenues for accountability and redress.
By gathering Ukrainian and international stakeholders, the side event will also lay groundwork for joint advocacy and support. It will outline the needs for technical support and resources (e.g. for forensic analysis, monitoring and remediation) and strengthen cooperation among NGOs, governments, and multilateral institutions working on environment and accountability.
Program
– Opening: Amb. Yevhen Tsymbaliuk, Permanent Representative of Ukraine
– Keynote Speech: Viktoriia Litvinova, Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine
– Patterns of Environmental Destruction: Dmytro Koval, Truth Hounds
– Voices from the Ground: Regional administration representatives, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine
– Discussion & Reactions: Moderated Q&A
– Closing: Niccolò Figà Talamanca, Secretary General of No Peace Without Justice

Concept note and program

For more information, please contact Laura Zamperetti (lzamperetti@npwj.org) or Nicola Giovannini (ngiovannini@npwj.org)

Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression: Delivering Justice and Protecting Human Rights Rights in the Context of Russia’s War Against Ukraine
2025-07-04 12:00 - 13:00 | Human Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland
Side Event at the 59th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council
Date and time: 4 July 2025, 12:00–13:00 CET
Venue: In person at Room XXIV, Palais des Nations
Organisers: Permanent Missions of Ukraine, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, International Bar Association, International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, No Peace Without Justice
Background information
The ongoing full-scale war of aggression launched by the Russian Federation against Ukraine in February 2022 has resulted in widespread and systematic violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Atrocities committed against civilians – including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and unlawful deportations, have emphasized the urgent need for justice and accountability. The crime of aggression, as the leadership crime and the source of other international crimes committed in this context, must not go unpunished.
Ukraine, together with an expanding coalition of states and international legal experts, has been actively advocating for the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression. On 25 June 2025, an important step was taken with the signing of the Agreement on the Establishment of the Special Tribunal. This landmark development demonstrates significant momentum towards ensuring justice for the victims of Russia’s aggression and reinforcing the global framework for accountability.
The discussion will focus on how the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine can effectively deliver justice, secure accountability, and contribute to the protection of human rights in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Objectives of the Event
• Present recent developments regarding the creation of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
• Highlight the link between the crime of aggression and widespread human rights violations, emphasizing the need for international legal mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable.
• Provide a platform for legal experts, government representatives, and civil society to exchange views on how the Tribunal can effectively deliver justice and accountability.
• Mobilize further support from UN member states, international organizations, and human rights defenders for the Tribunal and its mission.
Agenda
Moderator: Mr. Niccolò Figà Talamanca, Secretary General of No Peace Without Justice
Opening remarks: H.E. Mr. Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN Office and other International Organizations in Geneva
Speakers:
• Dr. Mark Ellis, Executive Director, International Bar Association (online)
• Dr. Nataliia Hendel, Senior Researcher, Institute of Information, Security and Law of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine; expert, NGO Fundamental Research Support Fund
• Dr. Anton Korynevych, the Coordinator of the Core Group on the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, Director of the Department General for International Law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (online)
• Dr. Dainius Žalimas, Member of the European Parliament, Professor of International and Constitutional Law at the Law Faculty of Vytautas Magnus University, Member of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (online or in person TBC)
Closing remarks: H.E. Mr. Paul Bekkers, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN Office and other International Organizations in Geneva
Q&A session

Video-recording of the side event
Concept note and agenda
Speakers bios
Flyer

Co-Sponsors:

Accountability for Human Rights Violations committed in the name of the "War on Drugs"
2025-09-30 16:00 - 17:00 | Human Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland
A Side Event to the 60th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

Date & Time: Tuesday 30 September 2025 / 16:00 – 17:00 CET
Venue: Concordia I, Palais des Nations, United Nations, Geneva
Live streaming on Facebook: https://fb.me/e/5c2o9MRcl
Organised by: No Peace Without Justice

The global push to combat narcotics has become a pretext for systematic human rights violations and state violence, including extrajudicial executions, torture, arbitrary detention, and crimes against humanity. This side event examines accountability mechanisms by linking the ongoing ICC prosecution of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte with recent U.S. military strikes on ostensibly civilian vessels in the Caribbean, exploring how international law can protect both direct victims and populations “in whose name” such violence occurs.
The Philippines case provides critical precedent: Duterte’s anti-drugs campaign resulted in thousands of deaths, widespread intimidation, and deliberate erosion of democratic institutions. On 12 March 2025, Duterte was surrendered to the ICC by virtue of an ICC arrest warrant for the crime against humanity of murder under Article 7(1)(a) of the Rome Statute—marking historic progress toward accountability for state-sponsored extrajudicial killings. Victims continue to seek justice at the ICC, highlighting challenges and possibilities of victim-centered accountability.
Contemporary Caribbean developments demonstrate pattern evolution: U.S. military forces struck four ostensibly civilian vessels in international waters in September 2025, killing at least 19 individuals. Regional leaders’ endorsement—Trinidad and Tobago’s PM praising the strikes, Dominican Republic describing “first-of-its-kind joint operation against narco-terrorism”—reveals how anti-drug rhetoric facilitates regional complicity in unlawful state violence. UN Special Rapporteurs and human rights organizations condemned these as extrajudicial killings violating international law.
A proposed U.S. Authorization for Use of Military Force aimed at “narco-terrorists” could grant authority for counter-narcotics military operations across 60+ countries, systematizing cross-border interventions and creating templates for authoritarian consolidation. Such operations serve dual purposes: generating popular support while intimidating opponents and normalizing state violence. Populations “in whose name” violence occurs—including the American public—constitute critical victim groups, highlighting transnational implications requiring robust international accountability.
Core Objectives:
– Examine accountability processes for human rights violations committed in anti-drug contexts, including ICC confirmation under Article 61 and complementarity principles
– Analyze contemporary operations within proposed legislative expansions that could systematize such operations globally
Explore victim-centered approaches for both directly targeted populations and those indirectly affected “in whose name” violence is conducted
– Assess authoritarian consolidation patterns through anti-drug rhetoric and transnational “security cooperation”
– Identify concrete recommendations for States, international organizations, and civil society to strengthen accountability, prevent future violations, uphold rule of law
Concept note and program

Seizing Power: Occupation, Torture, and Nuclear Safety Breaches at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
2025-10-01 11:30 - 12:30 | Human Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland
A Side Event to the 60th Session of the UN Human Rights Council on Corporate Complicity, War Crimes, and Risks of Nuclear Catastrophe

Date & Time: Wednesday 1 October 11:30 – 12:30 CET
Venue: Conference Room V, Palais des Nations, United Nations, Geneva
Live streaming on Facebook: https://fb.me/e/3PezYb3Zi
Organized by: No Peace Without Justice, Truth Hounds
Co-sponsored by: Permanent Missions to the UN Geneva of Liechtenstein, Ukraine, Poland, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Slovenia

The event will feature a dynamic panel presentation, combining expert testimony from Truth Hounds investigators, legal analysis, and first-hand accounts from affected community representatives. The format is designed to facilitate a substantive and interactive discussion among
delegations, civil society, and the media, moving beyond a simple briefing to a collaborative strategy
session.
At this side event, Truth Hounds experts will present the findings of their comprehensive report, highlighting the interconnection of systematic human rights abuses and nuclear safety breaches, while addressing key pathways for achieving accountability and actively preventing these crimes from continuing and offering recommendations on how to address the situation.
Background
Russia’s military seizure of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in March 2022 represents the first instance in history of an active nuclear facility under military occupation.
The situation raises four interrelated concerns:
1. Widespread and systematic arbitrary detention, torture, and persecution of civilians and ZNPP staff constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute.
2. Rosatom’s dual role, coupled with the Russian state’s control over it, underscores unmatched issues of corporate complicity and state responsibility for facilitating occupation policies that violate international law.
3. Coercion of nuclear personnel severed regulatory oversight, and militarization of the plant critically undermine operational safety, creating a transboundary nuclear risk.
4. Permitting the militarization of a nuclear facility sets a precedent for future conflicts, threatening the stability of international peace and security and the integrity of the global nuclear safety regime.
Urgent international action is required, including through independent monitoring, to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and a dangerous precedent that threatens the stability of international peace and security and the integrity of the global nuclear safety regime.
This multi-dimensional crisis demands coordinated diplomatic, legal, and operational responses to protect civilians, restore nuclear safety, and uphold international law.

Concept note and agenda

When accountability becomes a crime: protecting human rights defenders in the Age of Lawfare
2025-12-04 13:15 - 14:45 | The Hague, Oude Waalsdorperweg 10, The Hague, Netherlands
Side event to the 24th Assembly of State Parties of the ICC
Thursday, 4 December 2025 | 13:15 – 14:45 | Yangtze 2
Panellists:
– Shawan Jabarin, Director General of Al-Haq;
– Raji Sourani, Founder and Director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights;
– Issam Younis, Director General of Al Mezan Center for Human Rights;
– Antônia Pereira de Sousa, Senior Special Assistant to the Registrar of the ICC;
– Niccolò Figà-Talamanca, interim Convenor of the CICC.
Moderator: Rev. Father Albert C. Alejo S.J., Board Member, No Peace Without Justice
Co-sponsors: No Peace Without Justice; Al-Haq; Al Mezan Center for Human Rights; Palestinian Centre for Human Rights; Coalition for the International Criminal Court; Women’s Initiatives for
Gender Justice; FIDH; Amnesty International; EUmans, Holistic Empowerment for Development (H.E.D) on behalf of 5 Ethiopian CSOs – African Initiatives for a Democratic World Order
(AIDWO), Exodus Charity Organization (ECO), Vision Ethiopian Congress for Democracy (VECOD), Human Rights and Humanitarian Development Initiatives (HRHDI); Robert F. Kennedy
Human Rights; Union for Civil Liberty; Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada; Human Rights Now; Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society; Ukrainian Legal Advisory Group; International Centre for
Justice for Palestinians; World Without Genocide; Platform for Peace and Humanity; Centre Marocain pour la Loi et la Paix.
State co-sponsors: the State of Palestine.
Note: Interpretation will be available in Arabic, English, French and Spanish.

Flyer of the side event

Murder on the Land and the Sea: Extrajudicial Drug War Killings in the 21st Century
2026-03-11 13:00 - 14:00 | vienna, Austria
Side event at the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs
in-person: Wednesday 11 March, 1:00-2:00pm CET, Room M0E79, Vienna International Center

Zoom (with optional registration): https://bit.ly/murderonlandandsea
Zoom (direct meeting access): https://bit.ly/murderonlandandsea-noreg
https://stopthedrugwar.org/ruleoflaw

Drugs are an issue which – like migration, social liberalization and economic tensions – has the capacity to shatter democratic and human rights norms. Perhaps no other extreme found in drug policies today does so more than that of extrajudicial killings. “Murder on the Land and the Sea” will discuss identified episodes of drug war EJKs in the 21st century, their context and interrelationships, and their implications for the future of democracy and the rules-based order.

Speakers:

David Borden, Executive Director, StoptheDrugWar.org
Carlos Conde, Rights Report Philippines, former Human Rights Watch, NYT
Diego Garcia-Devis, Drug Policy Program Manager, Open Society Foundations
Annie Shiel, US Advocacy Director, Center for Civilians in Conflict

Moderator: Kat Murti, Executive Director, Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Organized by DRCNet Foundation AKA StoptheDrugWar.org, with cosponsors Associazone Luca Coscioni, Drug Policy Alliance, Forum Droghe, International Drug Law Advocacy & Resource Center, No Peace Without Justice, NoBox Transitions Philippines, Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Veterans Action Council, Washington Office on Latin America

Please contact David Borden at +1 202-236-8620 or borden@drcnet.org for further information. Visit https://stopthedrugwar.org/ruleoflaw and https://stopthedrugwar.org/global to read about our international programs.

Health Care in the Dark: The Human Cost of Russia's Attacks on Ukraine's Energy Infrastructure
2026-03-25 12:00 - 13:00 | Human Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland
Side Event on the margins of the 61st Session of the UN Human Rights Council Conference Room Concordia I, Palais des Nations, Geneva
25 March 2026 │ 12:00 – 13:00 CET
– Live streaming on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/RNwO74JW8Z4
– Co-Sponsored by: Permanent Missions to the UN Geneva of Ukraine, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Moldova, Montenegro and Netherlands
– Organised by: No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) and Truth Hounds, in cooperation with Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)
– Flyer
– Concept note
Russia’s systematic attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure are not an incidental consequence of military operations. They are a deliberate policy directed at the conditions under which civilians live, access care, and sustain community life. The responsibility of the Russian Federation is a matter of international law — and the pattern of conduct raises serious questions under international criminal law, including as potential crimes against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome ICC Statute.
The consequences are visible at both the institutional and individual level. Hospital directors and municipal authorities have restructured services, rationed backup power, and made triage decisions driven by electricity availability. The medical risks of these attacks were widely known and publicly documented as strikes continued — speaking directly to the foreseeability required under international criminal law. Older people, people with chronic illness, patients dependent on dialysis or respiratory support, children and persons with disabilities are identifiable individuals whose rights are being violated in documented, recurring ways, yet whose situation remains largely absent from the evidentiary record.
This side event draws on Truth Hounds’ and PHR’s research to show how attacks on civilian infrastructure translate into measurable health harm, falling disproportionately on those least able to bear it. A practitioner with direct experience of systematic power disruption will ground the discussion in operational reality, before turning to what the international community — including UN human rights mechanisms and the ICC — is required to do. Three interconnected concerns frame the discussion:
• The deliberate targeting of energy infrastructure serving civilian populations violates international humanitarian law and may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. These health consequences must be prosecuted accordingly — not absorbed into humanitarian frameworks that treat them as if they were unavoidable natural disasters.
• Sentinel populations — older people, people with disabilities, and patients dependent on electricity-reliant care — bear a disproportionate burden of harm that existing casualty methodologies fail to capture. Closing this evidentiary gap is a precondition for accountability.
• Urgent international action is required, through UN human rights mechanisms and the ICC, to ensure justice for survivors and prevent further impunity.
This crisis demands coordinated diplomatic, legal, and operational responses. Silence and inaction are not neutral: they entrench the impunity that makes these attacks possible.
Preliminary Draft Agenda
12:00 – 12:05 Opening Remarks
Roman Toder, Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine
12:05 – 12:45 Panel Presentations
· Evan Harary, Truth Hounds
· Lesia Lysytsia, Okhmatdyt Hospital Kyiv
· Uliana Poltavets, Physicians for Human Rights
12:45 – 12:55 Interactive Dialogue & Q&A
Moderated by Niccolò Figà Talamanca, No Peace Without Justice
12:55 – 13:00 Conclusions
