International Criminal Court
US civil liberties group sues Biden for ‘failure to prevent genocide’ in Gaza
A civil liberties organisation in New York is suing US President Joe Biden for allegedly failing in his duties under international and US law to prevent Israel from committing genocide in Gaza.
The case filed by the Centre for Constitutional Rights (CCR) on behalf of multiple Palestinian groups and individuals said that Israel's acts, including "mass killings," targeting of civilian infrastructure, and forced expulsions, amount to genocide, reports The Guardian.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib accuses Biden of supporting genocide in Gaza, says colleagues more focused on silencing her
According to the CCR, the 1948 international treaty against genocide demands the United States and other countries to utilise their strength and influence to put an end to the killings, it said.
“As Israel’s closest ally and strongest supporter, being its biggest provider of military assistance by a large margin and with Israel being the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign assistance since World War II, the United States has the means available to have a deterrent effect on Israeli officials now pursuing genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in Gaza,” mentioned the complaint.
Biden calls for humanitarian 'pause' in Israel-Hamas war
The complaint, filed in federal court in California, seeks the court to prevent the United States from providing Israel with weapons, money, and diplomatic support. It also demands the president, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin “to take all measures within their power to prevent Israel’s commission of genocidal acts against the Palestinian people of Gaza.” These include putting pressure on Israel to stop bombing Gaza, ease its siege, and prevent the forceful deportation of Palestinians, the report said.
The CCR, which won a landmark case in the US Supreme Court in 2004 establishing the rights of prisoners held at the Guantanamo Bay, stated that the Hamas cross-border attack on October 7, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were abducted, does not provide legal justification for the scale of Israel's assault on Gaza, which has killed over 11,000 Palestinians, including 4,600 children, and displaced 1.5 million people, it added.
Biden wraps up his visit to wartime Israel with a warning against being 'consumed' by rage
The case is being filed at the same time that the International Criminal Court is investigating Israel and Hamas for suspected war crimes. However, legal academics argue that genocide is a more difficult crime to establish and question whether the US president can be forced to conclude that Israel is committing genocide and so must intervene.
1 year ago
'Progress in ensuring justice for Rohingyas moves at snail's pace'
The progress in ensuring justice for the Rohingya is moving at a snail's pace, experts said Tuesday while reflecting on the fifth year of the Myanmar nationals' exodus to Bangladesh.
Creative solutions are yet to be found, they added.
The experts were speaking at the discussion "Rohingya Influx: Uncertainties at Hope" organised by ActionAid Bangladesh in partnership with, the Centre for Genocide Studies of the University of Dhaka, and the Centre for Peace and Justice of Brac University.
Despite some major decisions made by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the last couple of years, there has been little progress in furthering their cause for justice and accountability, Manzoor Hasan, chairperson of ActionAid International Bangladesh Society, said.
"The role of the UN bodies and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) could have been far more robust, to say the least. The coup and current situation in Myanmar have only furthered the impunity enjoyed by the military," he added.
Read: UN Human Rights Council adopts resolution to end Rohingya crisis
2 years ago
ICC turns 20: Hague conference to mark milestone July 1
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced that a conference titled “International Criminal Court at 20: Reflections on the Past, Present and the Future” will take place on July 1 at the World Forum in The Hague, the Netherlands.
The conference will be webcast live in English, French and Spanish on the ICC’s YouTube channel.
The conference will be an occasion to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the International Criminal Court as one of the permanent pillars of the international legal system, said the ICC on Saturday.
The entry into force on 1 July 2002, of the ICC’s founding treaty, the Rome Statute, enabled the commencement of the Court’s operations under its mandate aimed at ensuring accountability for the gravest crimes under international law, contributing to their prevention, and providing justice to victims.
Also read: Crimes against Rohingyas: ICC Prosecutor seeks joint efforts to deliver justice
The conference will start with a keynote speech by the Chair of Rome Conference and first ICC President Philippe Kirsch, followed by three substantive panels on various aspects on the Court's work.
Speakers will include the President, Prosecutor and Registrar of the ICC, the President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the ICC’s Trust Fund for Victims, the President of the International Criminal Court Bar Association, as well leading academics, civil society experts and practitioners.
The conference will allow for in-depth discussions on the different aspects of the Court’s concrete operations, from the earliest reports of alleged crimes to final judgments and the reparation of victims.
Also read: ICC prosecutor launches Ukraine war crimes investigation
It will also be an occasion for reflections on how well the ICC has met expectations, as well as what main trends can be discerned for the further development of the international criminal justice system going forward.
While in-person participation at the conference is by invitation only, virtual attendance is open to all interested persons.
2 years ago
Conviction in landmark case over Syrian government torture
A former member of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s secret police was convicted Wednesday by a German court of facilitating the torture of prisoners in a landmark ruling that human rights activists hope will set a precedent for other cases in the decade-long conflict.
3 years ago
UN Security Council: Refer Myanmar to ICC, impose global arms embargo
The United Nations Security Council should impose a global arms embargo on Myanmar and refer the situation in the country to the International Criminal Court (ICC), said Fortify Rights on Tuesday.
3 years ago
UK candidate Judge Joanna Korner elected to serve as a judge of ICC
UK candidate Judge Joanna Korner has been elected to serve as a judge of the International Criminal Court.
3 years ago
Rohingya Genocide: ICC considers holding hearings in Bangladesh
The Registry of the International Criminal Court has filed its observations on a joint request by the victims to hold the hearings in the Rohingya genocide case within reasonable proximity of the affected populations, instead of The Hague.
4 years ago
ICC urged to quickly prosecute Myanmar Army deserters
The International Criminal Court (ICC) should swiftly prosecute two Myanmar Army soldiers who have confessed to their involvement in massacres, rape, and other crimes against Rohingya in Myanmar, and the court should facilitate witness protection for them, said Fortify Rights on Tuesday.
4 years ago
ICC condemns US economic sanctions
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has condemned the economic sanctions imposed by the US on the Court’s Prosecutor and a member of her Office.
4 years ago
Myanmar urged to cooperate with int'l justice mechanisms
The UN’s new Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar on Wednesday urged the government to cooperate with existing international justice mechanisms to ensure accountability for alleged international crimes.
4 years ago