• How a Tribunal May Damage Its Legacy
    Sep 3, 2009
    Commentary
    As a newly minted investigator at the International Criminal Tribunal in Rwanda in 1995, I was not sure how people in Kigali, Rwanda's capital, would respond when I told them my line of work. In casual conversations at local restaurants I was surprised by how often I was asked if the tribunal planned to investigate crimes committed by the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF).
  • African Civil Society Urges African States Parties to the Rome Statute to Reaffirm Their Commitment to the ICC
    Jul 30, 2009
    Written statement
    Recognizing our obligation to help protect human rights and uphold the rule of law, we, the undersigned civil society organizations, appeal to African ICC States Parties to reaffirm their support for the ICC and their commitment to abide by their obligations under the Rome Statute, particularly in relation to the arrest and transfer of the President of Sudan to the ICC.
  • A Trial Sends a Message Around the World
    Dec 24, 2008
    Impact
    On October 30, 2008, justice for victims of atrocities committed during the course of Liberia's long and brutal years of armed conflict took a major step forward in a very unlikely location: Miami, Florida.
  • When Peace Talks Undermine Justice
    Jul 4, 2008
    Commentary
    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.
  • Sierra Leone: War Crimes Ruling Bolsters Victim Protection
    May 28, 2008
    Press release
    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.
  • Political Considerations in Sentence Mitigation for Serious Violations of the Laws of War before International Criminal Tribunal
    Mar 11, 2008
    Memorandum
    On March 12 and 13, the Appeals Chamber of the Special Court for Sierra Leone will hold hearings on appeals against the convictions and sentencing of Moinina Fofana and Allieu Kondewa. These individuals were convicted on several counts of serious violations of international humanitarian law in connection with acts that they had committed, or had been responsible for, while members of the government-backed Civil Defence Forces (CDF) during Sierra Leone’s decade-long conflict. The upcoming hearings will raise a very important issue for the enforcement of international humanitarian law: whether applicable international legal standards allow factors such as political motivations and the party to the conflict for which a perpetrator fought to serve as a basis for mitigation in sentencing.
  • Statement to the Sixth Session of the International Criminal Court’s Assembly of States Parties
    Dec 7, 2007
    Oral statement
    Richard Dicker, director of Human Rights Watch’s International Justice Program, addresses the sixth session of the International Criminal Court's Assembly of States Parties. The ICC has made important strides in the past year. However, at this point in the court’s development—with six out of eight publicly issued arrest warrants outstanding—the most urgent and serious challenge facing the ICC is insufficient cooperation and support from states parties, non-states parties, and intergovernmental organizations.
  • UN: ICC Needs Backing to Bring Justice for War Crimes
    Nov 30, 2007
    Press release
    The United Nations secretariat and the 105 states that have joined the International Criminal Court should step up support for the court so that it can bring justice for war crimes, as the ICC opens its annual meeting in New York.
  • UN: Summit on Africa Should Not Overlook Justice
    Sep 25, 2007
    Press release
    United Nations Security Council leaders meeting today to discuss peace and security in Africa should not leave justice off the agenda. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is chairing the meeting this afternoon in New York.
  • Convictions for War Crimes in Sierra Leone
    Aug 1, 2007
    Impact