Workshop on improving the NCCLHR capacities and efficiency in protecting human rights in Libya
2023-03-20 - 2023-03-22 | Djerba, Djerba, Tunisia
Djerba (Tunisia), 20-22 March 2023
In the framework of EU-funded ADALIT-Libya project, No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) organised
a training workshop on improving the National Council for Civil Liberties and Human Rights (NCCLHR) capacities and efficiency in protecting human rights in Libya and contributing to the follow-up of implementation by the Libyan government of the recommendations made by the UN human rights mechanisms. The workshop was held in Djerba (Tunisia) from 20 to 22 March 2023.
The workshop was also held in accordance with the third item of the cooperation agreement concluded on 21st November 2021, between the NCCLHR and NPWJ, which stipulated the development of a strategic plan for the NCCLHR aimed at supporting efforts aimed at promoting and consolidating the system of human rights and public liberties.
Twenty-nine staff members and members of the board of trustees of the NCCLHR attended the workshop. The training focused on the following main topics: Presentation of the UN human rights system and UN human rights mechanisms; presentation and discussion of the recommendations made on the Libya report to the UPR in 2020; open debate on the evaluation of the NCCLHR capacities; the main axes of a draft strategic plan to improve the NCCLHR capacities and performance. Practical sessions focused on reporting to UN human rights charter-based mechanisms, methods and possibilities of cooperating and interacting with UNHRC special procedures.

Validation workshop on study assessing “Guarantees of the right to a fair trial and mechanisms of access to justice in the Libyan legal system”
2023-05-27 | Tripoli, Libya
Tripoli, Libya, 27 May 2023
In the framework of EU-funded ADALIT-Libya project, No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) elaborated a study on the “Guarantees of the right to a fair trial and mechanisms of access to justice in the Libyan legal system”.
The first part of the study focuses on the presentation of guarantees available to the accused and the victims, as well as judicial guarantees related to the proper administration of justice, by examining guarantees related to several relevant rights, such as the right to a fair trial within a reasonable time and before an independent and impartial court, the right to legal counsel, the right to remain silent, the right to the presumption of innocence, the right to be informed of the charges against the accused, the right to appeal, and the right to procedural balance between the public prosecution and the right to a trial based on the principle of confrontation between the parties in criminal proceedings (the adversarial principle or adversarial system). These two guarantees are conditions set by the European Court for the availability of the right to a fair trial. The second part focuses on the legal opportunities and real challenges in relation to a fair trial and access to justice.
A validation workshop on this assessment study was held on 27 May 2023 in Tripoli. It was organised in partnership with the International Humanitarian Law Centre (IHLC). During the workshop, the content and recommendations of the study where discussed. With this activity, we aimed at increasing and sharing knowledge of the guarantees stipulated in the international conventions to which Libya is a party and to explore whether such agreements are applicable on a national scale with regard to guaranteeing the fundamentals of a fair trial. The workshop also was a ground for discussing access to justice and the right to legal representation, especially for the most vulnerable groups, such as women, children, people with disabilities, and migrants.
In line with the structure and aims of the study, the discussion focused on two main pillars: a) the procedural safeguards to protect the right to a fair trial in criminal proceedings and b) mechanism for access to justice and public lawyer’s role as a legal aid system pillar. A space for public debate was given in both sections to facilitate exchanges and questions among participants.
27 experts, officials and professionals in the field of justice participated. More precisely, among them were the former Minister of Justice in the Government of National Accord, the former Military Prosecutor General, members of judicial bodies – including advisors, judges, court presidents, and prosecutors – deans of law faculties and teachers at Libyan universities, members of public and private legal practice, along with representatives from the media, the expert team responsible for the study. Members of the International Humanitarian Law Centre also participated.
The experts who drafted the assessment study gathered feedback from the workshop and incorporated it into the final version of the paper. The workshop also served as a preparatory exercise to the national consultation on the right to a fair trial and access to justice, held in Tripoli in July 2023, where the final version of the research paper was presented and adopted.

Training workshops on HR basics for NCCLHR staff in Libya
2023-07-16 - 2023-07-18 | Benghazi
Tripoli_Benghazi, Libya, 16-20 July 2023
In the framework of EU-funded ADALIT-Libya project, No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) organised two training workshops on Human Rights basics for the National Council for Civil Liberties and Human Rights (NCCLHR) staff in Libya.
The first workshop was held in collaboration with EU Mousanada project, in Tripoli from 16 to 18 July 2023. Twenty-five staff members attended the workshops. The workshop agenda focused on the following issues: international HR instruments and mechanisms; international humanitarian law; the role of NHRIs in protecting and promoting human rights.
The second workshop was held in collaboration with EU Mousanada project, in Benghazi from 19 to 21 July 2023. Thirty-five staff members from the NCCLHR regional offices in the west, attended the workshop. The workshop agenda focused on the following issues: international HR instruments and mechanisms; international humanitarian law; the role of NHRIs in protecting and promoting human rights.

Workshop on “the guarantees of fair trial and mechanisms for access to justice for the most vulnerable groups in the Libyan legal system”
2023-07-22 - 2023-07-23 | Tripoli, Libya
Tripoli, Libya, 22-23 July 2023
In the framework of EU-funded ADALIT-Libya project, No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ)
a workshop on “the guarantees of fair trial and mechanisms for access to justice for the most vulnerable groups in the Libyan legal system” was organised. It was held in Tripoli (Libya) on 22-23 July 2023. Each day was divided into three sessions, composed of presentations and interactive discussions among the participants.
Overall, the workshop highlighted the importance of Law No. 4 of 1984, which pertains to the establishment of the Public Lawyers Department and, specifically, one of its key principles ensured: namely the provision of free legal counsel and the accessibility of legal services to citizens, ensuring their access to justice and fair trials.
On the first day, special focus was given to presenting the assessment study on the justice system and fair trial justice for vulnerable groups within the Libyan legal system. This paper was presented by the two expert authors and then officially adopted. On the second day, space was also dedicated to highlight the specific mechanisms of international humanitarian law, particularly in relation to the armed conflicts that Libya has experienced, as well as on enforced disappearance and the concept of missing individuals in Libya. Participants also addressed and discussed the risks of trying civilians in military courts, for it is contradiction with human rights principles whereby civilians shall be tried in civilian courts.
Some key recommendations shared among participants included the necessity to align national legislation with international treaties ratified by the Libyan state, the need to activate the role of the National Human Rights Commission and redefining its scope of authority, as well as the necessity to establish specialised departments concerning human rights violations. Participants also addressed and acknowledged the challenges facing public prosecution, primarily centred around the insufficient legal training concerning criminal investigations in cases related to human rights violations.
Thirty-nine participants attended the workshop (legal experts and various civil and state actors in the field of human rights, judges, lawyers, etc). All attendees participated actively in the discussions, and all expressed unanimous consensus on the necessity to support the rule of law and establish the independence of the judiciary while respecting the commitments of the Libyan state concerning the right to litigation, fair trial conditions, and the available guarantees for judicial authority members in terms of accountability, evaluation, and judicial oversight to ensure greater effectiveness.

Support to the efforts of Libya to fulfill its HR reporting obligations
2023-09-16 - 2023-09-18 | Tunis, Tunis
16-18 September 2023, Tunis (Tunisia)
On the request by the MoJ, a workshop hosted by UNDP was organised in coordination with No Peace Without Justice and UNSMIL HRS/OHCHR and supported by the Italian government.
Background
In 2020, the Libyan Ministry of Justice (MoJ) established drafting committees to abide by the reporting requirements of the following international human rights mechanisms:

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT)
The International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (ICRPD)

In addition, a fifth drafting committee was established to finalise the Core Common Document of Libya, which gives an overview on the national reporting mechanisms in support of the signed international treaties.
External national and international experts have been involved in providing support to each committee since then. No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) and UNSMIL HRS/OHCHR have been supporting the drafting committees in the past three years, in line with the OHCHR resolution 42/30 on “promoting international cooperation to support national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up”. It should be mentioned that this workshop is part of the EC funded project implemented by NPWJ in cooperation with the MoJ since 2020.
Objectives, results and participants
The main objective of the workshop was to provide additional support to the drafting committees, through a refresher on the international reporting mechanisms for human rights and exchanges on updates and plans on the drafting process of the reports. On the last day, a concrete action plan for the finalisation, validation and submission of reports to their respective reporting mechanisms was developed.
Participants included members of the Libyan Ministry of Justice, members of the five drafting committees, international experts, representatives of UNDP, UNSMIL HRS/OHCHR, and NPWJ, UN and donor partners.
Following this refresher workshop, a validation workshop is foreseen for the end of the year to finalise the drafting process of these reports.
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.

Luci oltre le sbarre. Carceri tra Italia e Libano
2023-09-28 | Rome, Rome, Italy
Casa Internazionale delle Done, Roma, 28 settembre 2023
Incontro e inaugurazione mostra
“Cibo insufficiente e di scarsa qualità, mancanza di medicinali, sovraffollamento. In Libano la popolazione carceraria conta piú di 8.000 detenuti, di cui quasi l’80% in attesa di giudizio. Nella sola prigione di Roumieh, la più grande del Paese, il numero di detenuti supera di tre volte la capacità prevista.
In questo contesto, la società civile è spesso chiamata a fornire risposte e servizi che dovrebbero essere garantiti dallo Stato: assistenza legale, formazione del personale, supporto psicologico o medico. All’interno del progetto promosso da ARCS, è stato possibile riunire istituzioni e attori della societá civile libanese insieme alla controparte italiana, in un’ottica di collaborazione e scambio di pratiche ed esperienze volte a far emergere le sfide poste dalle attuali difficoltà del sistema penitenziario e delle condizioni di vita dei detenuti e dei gruppi piú vulnerabili, e a cogliere l’opportunitá di questo confronto per proporre interventi di modifica e riforma dello stesso sistema, mettendo sul tavolo anche le difficoltá e le sfide comuni affrontate, a partire dalla questione del sovraffollamento.
Un’importante occasione – con ospiti italiani e libanesi – per raccontare il lavoro che da anni viene portato avanti da anni per promuovere il dibattito e la presa di coscienza sulle condizioni di detenzione in Libano, ridurre la separazione tra ciò che avviene dentro e fuori le carceri, riportare alla luce la funzione rieducativa della detenzione e innescare processi virtuosi di collaborazione tra istituzioni e società civile.
Oltre al dibattito, anche l’inaugurazione della mostra del fotografo libanese Haitham Moussawi, con foto inedite scattate all’interno del carcere di maschile di Beirut, simbolo delle condizioni in cui versano le carceri libanesi.

Per maggiori informazioni, cliccare qui

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.

Side event on "Accountability for human rights violations against anti-slavery activists and human rights defenders"
2024-02-29 14:00 - 15:00 (Europe/Rome) | Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
Geneva, UN Human Rights Council, 55th Session, Palais des Nations, 29 February 2024
On the occasion of the 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, No Peace Without Justice convened a side event on “Accountability for human rights violations against anti-slavery activists and human rights defenders”, which was held on Thursday 29 February 2024 (from 14:00 to 15:00, Room XXV, Palais des Nations, United Nations Office in Geneva).
Panelists of the meeting, which was chaired by Tara O’Grady, President, No Peace Without Justice, included Jeddou Abdel Wahab, anti-slavery activist; Vincent Diko Hanoune, anti-slavery activist; Hamadi Diarra, anti-slavery activist. Closing remarks were made by Marco Perduca, Board member, No Peace Without Justice.
This side event was intented as an opportunity for prominent representatives of the Mauritanian anti-slavery movement to brief United Nations Member States, relevant UN Bodies and Special Procedures, NGOs and other interested parties and provide an in-person update on the situation on the ground which continue to represent a blatant violation of Human Rights which need to be addressed by the international community to find justice and redress for victims and accountability for perpetrators.

Watch the video of the event on our YouTube Channel
Program and concept note
Flyer
Intervention by Vincent Diko Hanoune

For further information, please contact Gianluca Eramo (geramo@npwj.org) or Giacomo Canossa (gcanossa@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

NPWJ Press Conference: MBS evades arrest by foregoing G7 Summit
2024-06-14 14:00 - 15:00 | Bari, Italy
“Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman evades a request for arrest for the torture and murder of Jamal Khashoggi, by pulling out of the G7 Summit.”
On Friday 14 June 2024, at 14h00 at the Hotel B21, in Via Giuseppe Verdi, 58, 70132 Bari (at 500 metres from the G7 Media Centre of the Fiera del Levante) No Peace Without Justice, with the participation of President Tara O’Grady and Secretary General Niccolò Figà Talamanca, as well as Avv. Fabio Maria Galiani, held a Press Conference on the request for the arrest of Saudi Prince Mohamed Bin Salman for the torture and murder of Jamal Khashoggi and his pulling-out from attending the G7 Summit.
Watch the video recording of the Press Conference:
– on our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/nhUrODlvUc0
– on Radio Radicale
Media coverage:

Bin Salman diserta il G7, ‘temeva l’arresto per Khashoggi’
Denuncia di No Peace Without Justice contro il principe saudita
ANSA, 14 giugno 2024
https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/speciali/g7-italia/2024/06/14/bin-salman-diserta-il-g7-temeva-larresto-per-khashoggi_999aea0f-f18b-450e-92a1-6f36d98fba4a.html
https://x.com/Agenzia_Ansa/status/1801653933498130768
Perché Mohammed bin Salman non era al G7?
di Marco Perduca, Huffington Post, 14 Giugno 2024
https://www.huffingtonpost.it/blog/2024/06/14/news/perche_mohammed_bin_salman_non_era_al_g7-16186702/
La denuncia della Ong: «Se fosse venuto il principe saudita rischiava l’arresto»
Retroscena del summit. Bin Salman assente dal vertice, la denuncia di No peace without justice per l’omicidio del giornalista saudita Jamal Khashoggi.
Giovanna Branca, inviata a Bari, Il Manifesto, 14 giugno 2024
https://ilmanifesto.it/la-denuncia-della-ong-se-fosse-venuto-il-principe-saudita-rischiava-larresto
Mandato di cattura per la morte di Khashoggi. Salman assente per evitare l’arresto
Il Messaggero, 14 giugno 2024 (download pdf)

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

From Resolutions to Reality: Reigniting the Global Movement to End FGM
2025-02-04 13:00 - 14:30
Webinar
Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 1:00-2:30PM EST / 10:00-11:30AM PST / 11:00AM-12:30PM MST / 6:00-7:30PM GMT / 7:00-8:30PM CET / 8:00-9:30PM IST / 9:00-10:30PM AST
For decades, women’s rights activists, parliamentarians, grassroots organisations and government representatives worldwide have united to combat female genital mutilation (FGM) and other forms of violence against women that are perpetrated in the name of preserving cultural practices, but constitute grave violations of the human rights of women. In the lead-up to the globally observed International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation on 6 February, and more than 12 years after the adoption of the landmark UN General Assembly Resolution 67/146 banning FGM worldwide, this International Center for MultiGenerational Legacies of Trauma in collaboration with No Peace Without Justice webinar, convenes a distinguished panel of experts and activists. Together, they will examine the ongoing challenges faced by the anti-FGM movement and explore strategies to reinvigorate efforts for meaningful change for current and future generations.
Speakers:
Alimatu Dimonekene, MBE
A passionate human rights advocate, public speaker, and champion of survivor-led advocacy and community engagement, Alimatu is originally from Sierra Leone and now based in the UK. She focuses on youth empowerment and encouraging girls as agents of change. As founder and director of A Girl At A Time (SL), a social impact organisation, she designed impactful programs with culturally-adaptive strategies in combatting harmful traditional practices such as FGM.
Comfort Momoh, MBE
A renowned midwife, author, and activist dedicated to combating female genital mutilation (FGM), originally from Nigeria, Comfort has been based in the UK since 1985. She established the African Well Women’s Clinic in London in 1997 providing specialized care to women affected by FGM, including reparative surgery. A leading voice in raising awareness and supporting survivors, Comfort has made significant contributions to the global fight against FGM.
Rugiatu Neneh Turay
A leading advocate against FGM and gender-based violence in Sierra Leone. As the founder of the Amazonian Initiative Movement, she leads courageous grassroots efforts to empower women and combat child marriage and violence against women. Rugiatu previously served as Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, using her position to push for stronger policies to protect women and children.
Khady Kolta
A Senegalese activist, author, and influential advocate in the global fight against FGM and forced marriage. A survivor herself, her experiences have fueled her advocacy, making her one of the most recognized voices on these issues in Europe and Africa. She is the author of Mutilée and the founder and president of La Palabre, a women’s rights organisation that established a shelter for vulnerable women in Senegal.
Giulia Schiavoni
A human rights and gender activist and Program Adviser for the Gender & Human Rights Program at No Peace Without Justice, Jiulia has worked on initiatives addressing systemic gender inequality, including co-authoring a study on child marriage in Italy. Her work focuses on practical strategies to tackle pressing human rights challenges, particularly those impacting gender equity and vulnerable groups.
Moderator:
Yael Danieli
A Clinical psychologist, traumatologist, victimologist and psychohistorian, Dr. Danieli is Founder, Executive Director and Senior Representative to the United Nations of the International Center for MultiGenerational Legacies of Trauma (ICMGLT); Director, Group Project for Holocaust Survivors and their Children and Past-President, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
REGISTER FOR WEBINAR HERE
DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION

Workshop on Enhancing Civil Society Contributions to Libya’s Fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Cycle
2025-02-24 - 2025-02-26 | Tunis, Tunis
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Libya, the Rule of Law & Human Rights Section of UNSMIL/OHCHR (UNSMIL HRS), UN Women, and No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ), with the generous support of the European Union and the Italian Government, are organizing a workshop on Enhancing Civil Society Contributions to Libya’s Fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Cycle (Nov. 2025). The workshop will take place from 24 to 26 February 2025 in Tunis, Tunisia.

The workshop is building on previous efforts and in response to requests from CSAs, aiming at strengthening their capacity to engage with the UPR and other international human rights mechanisms, ensuring that UPR reports are aligned with international guidance, gender mainstreamed, and submitted on time, fostering network and coalition-building among Libyan CSAs. They further will develop a concrete action plan to prepare four thematic parallel reports with one on migrants and asylum seekers, one on freedom of assembly and expression, one on arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance, and one on women’s rights. The workshop will also support advocacy efforts, including a briefing by workshop participants to the international community.

As part of this initiative, a dedicated session is organized on 26 February for the International Community and Member States to explore ways to support the Libyan UPR 2025 process. This session aims at facilitating an exchange between national civil society actors (CSAs) and embassies in Libya by creating sustainable links between national CSAs and Member States, prior to the review in Geneva in November 2025. The meeting will provide evidence of implementation, especially on the recommendations made by Member States during the last UPR in 2020.

Concept noted agenda of the workshop

For further information, please contact Frej Fenniche, MENA Regional Representative (ffenniche@npwj.org)

"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)

Tunisia: The Weaponisation of the Criminal Justice System in the Context of the Judicial Independence Crisis
2025-03-06 15:00 - 16:00 | Human Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland
Venue: Room XXV Palais des Nations, Geneva
Date & Time: 6 March 2025, 15:00
Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH), Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF), World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), EuroMed Rights, No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ), and the Committee for the Respect of Liberties and Human Rights in Tunisia (CRLDHT) are organising a side event at the 58th Session of the Human Rights Council. This discussion will examine the erosion of judicial independence in Tunisia and the increasing use of the criminal justice system to suppress dissent.
Objective:
This event will provide a platform for legal experts, human rights defenders, and affected individuals to inform the international community and UN human rights mechanisms about the implications of the ongoing crackdown on judicial independence and fundamental freedoms in Tunisia. Discussions will focus on the broader regional and international impact of these developments, as well as potential avenues for engagement and reform.
Speakers Include:
Senior legal and human rights experts, representatives of civil society organizations, Individuals with direct experience of the crisis.

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)

NPWJ receives Jamaat-e-Islami leadership in Brussels
2025-04-08 15:30 - 17:00 | Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
On 8 April 2025, No Peace Without Justice was pleased to host the leadership of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, including its Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, alongside prominent members of Bangladeshi civil society.
The meeting provided an opportunity to engage in a meaningful exchange on the critical situation in Bangladesh and the urgent challenges of its ongoing political transition. The discussion underscored the importance of ensuring free and fair elections, and the need to initiate a victim-centered transitional justice process – one rooted in accountability, truth-seeking, and truth-telling as essential steps to move forward without the heavy burden of a long-standing culture of impunity.
NPWJ remains committed to support local activists and political leaders in Bangladesh advocating for democratic institutions grounded on the rule of law, respect of human rights and fair justice.
Background
The atrocities committed during the 1971 conflict still haunt Bangladesh and efforts to bring justice are essential for the country to moving forward without the heavy burden of impunity. The hundred of thousands of victims and survivors deserve that justice is done and seen to be done. The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), which began its work in March 2010, could have been an historic opportunity to provide proper acknowledgement and redress to countless victims and allow the country to move forward free from the heavy burden of a long-standing culture of impunity. However, the major flaws in its proceedings and repeated violations of due process and fair trial rights raised strong concerns of the international community. Furthermore, by focusing its investigations on the leadership of the then opposition political parties for their role during the conflict and by handing down the death penalty against several individuals on trial before it, the ICT has inevitably reinforced the claims of those who dismiss its proceedings as a clumsy attempt to carry out an unjust and politically motivated judicial exercise of vengeance under the guise of fighting impunity.

Briefing on the Human Rights situation in Bangladesh, European Parliament, Brussels, 6 December 2022
War crimes in Bangladesh: European Union should act decisively in impending miscarriage of justice, 12 November 2015
War crimes in Bangladesh: unfair trials and death penalty will not bring justice, 17 June 2015
We urge the government of Bangladesh to begin dialogue with opposition, Financial Times, Comments/Letters, 28 February 2015
Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal: unfair trials and death penalty will not bring justice, 6 November 2014
Bangladesh: International Lawyers submit evidence to ICC Prosecutor over serious crimes allegedly committed by government forces, 4 February 2014
UPR/Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal: NPWJ calls for removal of death penalty and strict application of due process guarantees, 19 September 2013
The Bangladesh War Crimes Tribunal should be internationalised – for the sake of the nation’s future, 17 October 2013
11th ASP to the ICC: NPWJ convenes side event on “The Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal”, The Hague, 21 November 2012
Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal: Make Justice Count Through Fair Trials, Op-Ed By Niccolo ’Figa’ Talamanca and Nicola Giovannini, Eurasia Review, 8 November 2012
Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal: NPWJ calls for removal of death penalty and strict application of due process guarantees, 5 November 2012

For more information, please contact Nicola Giovannini, Press & Public Affairs Coordinator (ngiovannini@npwj.org) or Alison Smith, International Justice Director (asmith@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)

Save the Date : NPWJ General Assembly on 28 June in Budapest
2025-06-28 09:00 - 13:00 | Budapest, Hungary
Mark your calendars (“save the date”) for the 2025 General Assembly of No Peace Without Justice ETS, which will be held in Budapest on 28 June.
The date and location were chosen by the Board of Directors after the Hungarian government introduced special regulations to ban the 30th Budapest Pride, prohibiting all demonstrations in support of sexual freedoms, and explicitly providing for the use of massive surveillance technologies, including artificial intelligence, to identify and monitor participants.
The organisers have confirmed that the 30th Budapest Pride “will take place as scheduled” on 28 June, with the explicit support of the Mayor of Budapest, opposition parties, and countless associations that have mobilised in defence of the civil rights of all Hungarians, not least the right to protest against the authoritarian policies of the Orban Government. Furthermore, there is expected to be broad participation from political leaders, activists, human rights defenders, parliamentarians, and ordinary citizens from throughout Europe and beyond.
We hope that as many of our members as possible can attend the NPWJ Assembly in Budapest in person, and then, those who wish, also take part in the Pride or many other initiatives planned for that historic day. For those who are unable to attend in person, it will also be possible to join via Zoom, with automatic translation (in the subtitles) for all interventions.
We plan to begin the Assembly (in second convocation) at 09h30, and to conclude the strictly assembly-related work by 10h30.
From 10h30 onwards, after the Assembly, we will hold a public forum organised in collaboration with EUmans, with Hungarian and European parliamentarians, jurists, and activists discussing the necessity and urgency for the Council to decide to activate Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union for Hungary in response to systematic violations of the rule of law, fundamental freedoms, and the core values of the European Union.
From 14h00 onwards, NPWJ Members who also intend to take part in the the 30th Budapest Pride will walk from the venue to the starting point of the march, which is expected to conclude around 20:00.
For those who have not yet renewed their membership fee for 2025 and those willing to become members, please do so (https://www.npwj.org/support-us/membership/) in the next few days, and no later than 30 days before the Assembly, i.e., by 28 May 2025.
The formal invitation from the President, the proposed Agenda, the 2024 financial statements, the 2025 budget proposal, the Annual Report, and all other assembly documents will be sent to NPWJ members once they are adopted at the next meeting of the Board of Directors.
For more information, please contact Laura Zamperetti (at lzamperetti@npwj.org).

European Citizens’ Assembly on Hungary’s systemic violations of the rule of law — and the actions needed at EU level
2025-06-28 10:30 - 13:00
On 28 June 2025, Eumans in collaboration with No Peace Without Justice, Associazione Luca Coscioni and European Alternatives are proud to invite citizens, activists, policy-makers, and institutional actors to Budapest for a crucial day of democratic engagement.
This joint public forum, which will take place at Loffice, Paulay Ede u. 55, Budapest, at 10:30–13:00, aims at confronting the growing threats to the rule of law and civil liberties in Europe. The forum will serve as an open platform for inclusive dialogue, connecting grassroots activists with European and Hungarian decision-makers, legal experts, and civil society organisations.
This gathering is not only a response to the Hungarian government’s draconian restrictions on the 30th Budapest Pride including bans on demonstrations and the introduction of AI-driven surveillance but also a proactive effort to reaffirm the core values of the European Union: democracy, fundamental rights, and the rule of law.
At this occasion, Eumans will launch a campaign calling on the EU to take action against the serious and systematic violations of the Rule of Law in Hungary, and to recognize the legal existence of “European associations.” The introduction of “European associations” — entities recognized directly by the EU without requiring national approval — is essential to counter repressive laws such as the recent proposal by the Hungarian government aimed at eliminating the freedom of association for Hungarian NGOs.
During the assembly, the following discussants will interact with participants:
– Tamás Dombos – Project Coordinator, Háttér Society
– Marco Cappato – President, Eumans
– Ophelie Masson – Deputy director of European Alternatives
– Niccolò Milanese – Director of European Alternatives
– Per Clausen – Member of the European Parliament (MEP, The Left Group)
– Brando Benifei – Member of the European Parliament (MEP, S&D Group)
– Maria Walsh – Member of the European Parliament (MEP, EPP Group)
– Lena Schilling (MEP, Group of the Greens)
– Tara O’Grady– President, No Peace Without Justice
– Elena Buscemi – President, Milan City Council
– Peter Sárosi – Executive Director, Rights Reporter Foundation
– Francesca Romana D’autuono, Volt Co-President
– Zsuzsanna Szelényi, former member of Hungarian Parliament, CEU Democracy Institute’
The entire event will be hybrid, with remote participation available via Zoom and automatic translation to ensure accessibility for all.
From 14h00 onwards, participants who also intend to take part, alongside a broad coalition of human rights defenders and democratic allies, in the 30th Budapest Pride will walk from the venue to the starting point of the march.
As Hungary becomes a critical test case for European democratic resilience, this day in Budapest will be more than symbolic. It will be an opportunity for people across Europe to unite in dialogue, raise their voices, and take action.
For more information and registration to the public forum, check the following Eumans website link

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:

Join us in Rome to celebrate International Justice Day and express our continued support to the ICC
2025-07-17 19:00 - 21:00 | Rome, Rome, Italy
No Peace Without Justice together with Eumans, Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC), Alza Vita, Refugees in Libya and Associazione Cristiana degli Ucraini in Italia invite you to join them in celebrating International Justice Day on 17 July, from 19:00 to 21:00, in Piazzale Ugo La Malfa, Rome, near the historic birthplace of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Alongside victims groups, civil society organisations, activists, and concerned citizens, this joint celebration would be a meaningful expression of continued support for the ICC—at a time when its independence and authority are facing unprecedented challenges.
Civil society played a crucial role in the successful conclusion of the Diplomatic Conference on 17 July 1998 and the adoption of the Rome Statute, not only in shaping its content over five weeks of intense and often gruelling negotiations, but also in rallying governments in the final hours to bridge the last divides and bring the Court to life.
The result was a groundbreaking system of international justice, with the ICC at its core: a framework designed to confront impunity, secure redress for victims, and affirm that even the most powerful can be held to account under the law.
Twenty-seven years later, that promise remains unfinished. Turning it into a lasting reality requires action on multiple fronts: first by pressing national justice systems to fulfil their complementary obligations to investigate and prosecute Rome Statute Crimes and by ensuring that the ICC is equipped to act when they do not. But today the foundation must be protected: the Court’s ability to operate independently and impartially. Today, that very foundation is under sustained attack by those determined to discredit the idea that the law should stand above the power of the gun.
Join us in Rome so that together we can reaffirm the global commitment to justice, accountability, and the rights of victims.

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
