A young girl carrying a teddy bear and waving a white flag, heads towards an army outpost in the Samah neighbourhood on the eastern outskirts of Mosul, away from the heavy fighting engulfing the city. Photo: UNHCR/Ivor Prickett

With Civilian Deaths Mounting in Mosul, Will the International Criminal Court Intervene?

April 3, 2017

The Battle of Mosul that began last October is becoming increasingly deadly for the civilians still trapped in the city. Recent reports of civilian casulaties have led to questions about the level of scrutiny potential targets are given before being attacked. Further afield, the growing death toll also raises questions about criminal accountability for these civilian deaths — both now and in the future.

Hamid Karzai and George W. Bush - Photo Credit: Paul Morse

The ICC May Prosecute Crimes in Afghanistan

November 21, 2016

A member of the court since 2003, there is ample evidence that serious crimes have been committed in Afghanistan by all sides of the conflict. But the prospect of opening a formal investigation there also means that US forces and officials could come under scrutiny by the ICC, a development that could have major ramifications for the court.

Jennilyn Olayres holds her partner alleged drug pusher Michael Siaron, a pedicab driver, who was shot and killed by unidentified riding in tandem suspects along LRT Pasay Rotonda, Edsa on July 23, 2016, via Instagram user raffylerma

What happens after the horrifically violent war on drugs in the Philippines ends?

November 1, 2016

It is understandable that policymakers would want to clamp down on drug use within the country. But after campaigning for tough reforms, the approach that Duterte and his government is taking has shocked people both inside and outside the country.

Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi at the opening of his trial © ICC-CPI

An historic first for the International Criminal Court

August 23, 2016

Yesterday saw the trial of Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi at the International Criminal Court for the intentional destruction of world heritage shrines in Timbuktu during the 2012 occupation of the city by the Islamic rebel group Ansar Dine. The trial marks two important milestones for the court: this is the first time a suspect plead guilty, and also the first case of cultural destruction as a war crime.

Photo Credit: ICC-CPI/Armin Taslaman — Photo Credit: ICC-CPI/Armin Taslaman

Three Female Judges Just Made History By Convicting a Commander for Rape Committed by His Troops

March 21, 2016

Today the International Criminal Court reached an historic decision, finding former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba guilty of murder, rape and pillaging. This verdict marks the first ICC conviction for rape and gender based violence.

Prosecuting ‘Jihadi John': International Criminal Court could try foreign fighters who join ISIS — but should they?

March 27, 2015

Gruesome beheading videos and online calls to join the caliphate have become hallmarks of the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham, intimidating its enemies and fuelling recruitment efforts. But the Western jihadis whose social media savvy has helped launch ISIS into the global spotlight could one day find themselves facing justice in the International Criminal Court thanks to a legal backdoor that would see their tweets and Facebook posts used against them.

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This Child Soldier Grew Up to Become a Hardened War Criminal. Should He Go to Jail?

January 9, 2015

News broke this week of the surrender of Dominic Ongwen, a top commander in the Lord’s Resistance Army, to US forces in the Central African Republic. One of the five LRA commanders indicted by the ICC in 2005, Ongwen is also the most controversial of the Uganda indictments. While his surrender deals a serious blow to the LRA, whether the LRA’s victims will see justice remains unclear. Ongwen was a child when he was abducted by the LRA and grew up to become a notorious killer. But what are the legal and moral implications of trying a man for crimes against humanity when that man was conscripted as a child?

The ICC's Rough December

December 19, 2014

It has been a rough month for the International Criminal Court. A week after deciding to withdraw the charges in the high profile case of Uhuru Kenyatta, the ICC’s Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda appeared before the UN Security Council to inform them that the court will be suspending investigations into atrocities committed in Darfur due to a lack of cooperation by the Sudanese government, ICC member states and the UN.

Why This Week is a Big Turning Point for the Future of the ICC

December 12, 2014

The International Criminal Court’s Assembly of State Parties (ASP) is meeting this week in New York. The annual meeting brings together members of the court to elect judges, decide on the next year’s budget and debate possible amendments to procedure and the Rome Statute. But this year’s meeting comes in the wake of the ICC prosecutor withdrawing charges against Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta last week. The current conclusion of the case may end a particularly contentious chapter in the ICC’s short history, but also leaves a lot of unanswered questions about what it means for the court.

Will the International Criminal Court take on the Mexican Drug War

September 18, 2014

Last week a group of human rights organizations submitted a letter to the ICC requesting investigation into crimes committed by state security forces in their battle against drug cartels. It is not the first time human rights organizations have requested intervention by the ICC in the brutal Mexican Drug War. Yet, like the last request in 2011, it is unlikely the ICC will take up the case. There are several reasons why the ICC is not interested in the violence in Mexico but the changing nature of conflict and organized crime suggests that it may be time for the court to reconsider its position.