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Human Rights Watch Work on Women and Armed Conflict; International Justice US: First Trial for Overseas Torture Case of ex-Liberian president’s son important step for justice The upcoming trial in Miami of Charles “Chuckie” Taylor, Jr., who is accused of torture committed in Liberia, should signal the start of a more robust policy toward prosecuting serious human rights violations committed abroad, Human Rights Watch said today. Jury selection in the case is scheduled to begin this Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. September 23, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version Charles “Chuckie” Taylor, Jr.’s Trial in the United States for Torture Committed in Liberia Questions and Answers Charles “Chuckie” Taylor, Jr. is the son of former Liberian President Charles Taylor. Born while his father was living in Massachusetts, Chuckie Taylor is a United States (US) citizen. He spent much of his youth in the United States, joining his father in Liberia after his father won the 1997 presidential elections. September 23, 2008 Questions and Answers Printer friendly version UN Security Council: Don't Protect President al-Bashir from Prosecution Letter to the members of the Security Council We write in regard to the arrest warrant requested by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan. We understand that this request is likely to come under intense international scrutiny in the coming weeks. The stakes are extremely high for the victims of atrocities in Darfur and for global efforts to curtail impunity for the most serious crimes. We urge your government to weigh these issues in light of basic principles already expressed by the Security Council. For the reasons laid out in this letter, we believe that it is essential that the Council reject any interference with judicial proceedings. September 11, 2008 Letter Also available in 
Printer friendly version International Criminal Court’s Trial of Thomas Lubanga Questions and Answers In its decision of September 3, 2008, Trial Chamber I rejected the prosecution’s application to lift the stay of proceedings in the trial of Thomas Lubanga, which the trial chamber imposed on June 13, 2008. In that earlier decision, the trial chamber unanimously decided to “stay” the proceedings against Lubanga—therefore suspending the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) first-ever trial— because the prosecution was unable to release more than 200 documents containing potentially “exculpatory” information that it gathered during its investigation. The court defines “exculpatory” material as documentation that shows or tends to show the innocence of the accused, that mitigates the guilt of the accused, or information which may affect the credibility of the prosecution evidence. According to the judges, “the right to a fair trial—which is without doubt a fundamental right—includes an entitlement to disclosure of exculpatory material.” September 5, 2008 Questions and Answers Also available in 
Printer friendly version First Prosecution in the United States for Torture Committed Abroad The Trial of Charles ‘Chuckie’ Taylor, Jr. Published in Human Rights Brief, Volume 15, Issue 3 (Spring/Summer 2008) On December 6, 2006, the United States Department of Justice indicted Charles “Chuckie” Taylor, Jr., son of former Liberian President Charles Taylor, for committing torture in Liberia. The case, which is scheduled to go to trial in September 2008, is significant on a number of levels. First, it stands in contrast to what has been widespread impunity for human rights violations in Liberia. Second, the charges are brought under a U.S. federal law that has been unique in its criminalization of human rights violations committed outside U.S. territory. Third, although torture committed abroad has been a crime in the United States for more than a decade, the case against Chuckie Taylor is the first prosecution for the crime. August 27, 2008 Commentary Printer friendly version Whose interests does justice serve? Published in European Voice The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) took a bold and controversial step when, on 14 July, he requested an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Bashir on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. July 18, 2008 Commentary Printer friendly version Doing the right thing for Darfur An ICC indictment of Sudan’s president serves peace and justice Published in Los Angeles Times Last July, I went to Chad to look into how the International Criminal Court, which has a field office in Abeche and works with refugees in the camps, is performing on the ground. As part of my assessment, I interviewed dozens of refugees. July 15, 2008 Commentary Printer friendly version International Criminal Court’s Action Against al-Bashir Question and Answer On July 14, 2008, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) requested a warrant of arrest for Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir on charges of ten counts of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The request for a warrant raises a number of questions, answers for some of which are below. July 14, 2008 Questions and Answers Also available in
Printer friendly version War Criminals, Watch Out The pace of proceedings is quickening at the International Criminal Court. On July 3, Jean-Pierre Bemba, the former vice president of Congo charged with war crimes, arrived in custody in The Hague. And today, July 14, the ICC prosecutor is expected to request new arrest warrants based on alleged crimes in Darfur against senior Sudanese officials, reportedly including the Sudanese president. Those are real accomplishments for a judicial institution whose underlying statute is now seeing only its 10th birthday. July 14, 2008 Commentary When peace talks undermine justice Published in International Herald Tribune Diplomats, judges, lawyers, human rights activists and members of nongovernmental organizations are currently marking the 10th anniversary of the completion of the treaty that established the International Criminal Court. The court's creation was an extraordinary step in extending the reach of law to those responsible for the mass slaughter of civilians and the use of rape as a weapon of war. July 4, 2008 Commentary Printer friendly version Rape in War: Will the United Nations Walk Its Talk? By Marianne Mollmann June 25, 2008 Published in Reproductive Health Reality Check On June 19, 2008, the United Nations Security Council made history by declaring that rape in war is such a bad idea they plan to do something about it. June 25, 2008 Commentary Printer friendly version “From Nuremberg to Darfur: Accountability for Crimes Against Humanity” Hearing before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law Human Rights Watch appreciates the invitation to submit a statement for the record on this important subject. Justice for serious crimes under international law – which include genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture – is crucial. Accountability brings redress to the victims and signals that heinous abuses will not be tolerated. June 24, 2008 Testimony Printer friendly version UN: Finally, a Step Toward Confronting Rape in War Security Council Takes Action to Identify and Help End Sexual Violence The UN Security Council’s new resolution on sexual violence is a historic achievement for a body that has all too often ignored the plight of women and girls in conflict, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch applauds the council for setting out in the resolution a clear path to systematic information-gathering on sexual violence. Until now, the Security Council has asked for information on such violence only in selected cases. June 19, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version UN: Council Should Help End Fresh Abuses by Uganda’s LRA Boys, Girls Among Hundreds Abducted Across Three Countries (New York, June 19, 2008) – The UN Security Council should adopt a resolution or presidential statement supporting efforts to rein in the capacity of the Lord’s Resistance Army to attack civilians and to ensure justice for the most serious crimes committed during the northern Uganda conflict, Human Rights Watch said in a letter released today to council members. The Security Council will be briefed on June 20 by the former president of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano, who is the UN secretary-general’s special envoy to areas affected by the insurgent Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). June 19, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version International Criminal Court’s Trial of Thomas Lubanga “Stayed” Questions and Answers Common questions on the "staying" of the ICC trial of Thomas Lubanga answered. June 19, 2008 Questions and Answers Also available in
Printer friendly version Letter to Security Council Members in Advance of the June 20 Briefing by the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on the LRA-Affected Areas We write in advance of the briefing to the Security Council on June 20 by the Secretary-General’s special envoy for the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)-affected areas, the former President of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano. June 19, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version UN: Empower Peacekeepers to Stop Rape Security Council Should Listen to Women Hurt by War The United Nations Security Council should effectively address sexual violence in conflict as a weapon of war and its destabilizing impact on communities, Human Rights Watch and the International Women’s Tribune Center said today. June 10, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version ICC: Congo’s Former Vice-President Arrested International Court Should Pursue Other Top Officials in the CAR and Congo Following the arrest of Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo on May 24, the International Criminal Court should pursue other top officials in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo for atrocities committed against civilians, Human Rights Watch said today. May 30, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version Sierra Leone: War Crimes Ruling Bolsters Victim Protection Reason for Fighting Cannot Reduce Penalties The decision by Sierra Leone’s war crimes court to reject sentence reductions for two convicted militia members because they fought for a “legitimate cause” is crucial in ensuring justice for all victims of human rights violations, Human Rights Watch said today. May 28, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version UN Security Council Resolution 1325: Recognizing Women’s Vital Roles in Achieving Peace and Security Joint Written Submission with Amnesty International USA to the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight In its Resolution 1325 from October 2000, the United Nations Security Council outlined what the United Nations and its member states need to do to incorporate a gender perspective into peacekeeping operations and to promote women’s full involvement in all efforts to maintain and promote peace and security. The resolution is historic not only in that it constituted the first time the Council systematically addressed the manner in which conflict affects women and girls differently from men and boys, but also because it acknowledges the crucial link between peace, women’s participation in decision-making, and the recognition of women’s life experiences throughout the conflict cycle. May 15, 2008 Written Statement Printer friendly version | |  | |
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