Senegal’s Habré Sentence Sends a Strong Message

For the court of one country to prosecute the ruler of another is unprecedented. But that is what happened two weeks ago in a historic first, when an ad hoc tribunal in Dakar, Senegal, sentenced Hissene Habré to life in prison after finding the former president of Chad guilty of international human rights crimes. The … Read more

ICC Convicts Former President Bemba for Atrocities in Central Africa

On Monday March 21, 2016 the International Criminal Court (ICC) convicted former Congolese vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 2002-2003 situation in the Central African Republic (CAR). Bemba was convicted by the ICC of two counts of crimes against humanity, for murder and rape, and three counts of … Read more

25 Dead, 1 Apology, No Clear Answers: Has the U.S. Committed a War Crime?

Fires burn in the MSF emergency trauma hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan, after it was hit and partially destroyed by aerial attacks on October 3, 2015. In the wake of the Taliban’s takeover over the Afghan city of Kunduz last week, United States and Afghan military forces have waged a fight to reclaim control of the … Read more

Defending the Damned (Part 1 of 3)

This blog series was originally part of a reflection the author wrote comparing international criminal defense with domestic defense. To read the original post, visit the author’s personal blog at http://lawphilosophyart.blogspot.com/2014/03/defending-damned-closer-look-at.html. Part I of this blog series will explore Francois Roux’s defense strategy at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC, or Cambodia … Read more

Critical Analysis: Central African Republic Sees International Intervention

On December 5th, the UN Security Council unanimously authorized the deployment of French troops and the African Union Mission in Central Africa (MISCA) with the hopes of stemming the sectarian violence that is plaguing the Central African Republic.  On the 9th, the 1,600 French troops will attempt to begin disarming the fighting groups and restore … Read more

Critical Analysis: Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto to be Tried at the International Criminal Court, and the ICC to be tried by the Kenyans

William Ruto, Kenya’s Vice President appeared before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the first time on September 10, 2013 for his trial.  Ruto is charged with crimes against humanity in response to the ethnic cleansing that occurred shortly after the 2007 presidential election.  During this cleansing, more than 1,000 people died and 600,000 people … Read more

Critical Analysis: Is the Legitimacy of the Bangladesh Tribunal at Stake?

The International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh is an ongoing court mandated to investigate and prosecute individuals who committed atrocities during Bangladesh’s war of independence with Pakistan in 1971. On February 5, 2013, the Tribunal sentenced Jamatt-e-Islami chief Abdul Kader Mullah to life for his alleged role in crimes committed during the 1971 independence war. Mullah … Read more

Critical Analysis: Conflict Between M23 Rebels and the Congolese Army in Goma – How Must the International Community Respond?

Congo’s M23 rebels, a group comprised mostly of Tutsi defectors from the Congolese army, launched an uprising in Congo in the spring of 2012.  They have since been advancing in eastern Congo against the weak Congolese army.  On November 20th, the rebels invaded Goma, an eastern border city that had been thought a safe haven … Read more

ICC’s Sentence for Lubanga is a Shaky Conclusion to a Troubled Case

After ten years, the International Criminal Court issued its first verdict on March 14th, finding Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga guilty of three child soldier related war crimes offenses: conscripting, enlisting, and using child soldiers. The trial phase of the case concluded this summer when the ICC sentence Lubanga to 14 years in July. The paltry … Read more