Bibliothèque de ressources

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC or Congo) presents a critical test for the International Criminal Court (ICC). All of the accused in current ICC trials are from DRC. This paper addresses the Court’s role in DRC regarding complementarity, peace, justice, victims, and affected com...

The International Criminal Court opened its second trial against Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui. The ICC is prosecuting them for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the context of a massacre in the Iturian village of Bogoro.

Situation brief on the International Criminal Court's pretrial hearings on whether to pursue charges against Jean-Pierre Bemba for crimes his troops allegedly committed in the Central African Republic (CAR) in 2002-03. The ICC prosecutor opened an investigation in May 2007 into crimes...

Background on conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Central African Republic (CAR) in the context of Jean-Pierre Bemba’s trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC is preparing to prosecute Bemba of the DRC for alleged rapes, torture and murders that...

Background on the role of amnesty in processes of transitional justice and the 2009 DRC Amnesty Law. Given a fragile justice system and culture of impunity, this law risks rewarding blanket amnesty for all crimes committed in the DRC. ICTJ gives suggestions to break the culture of imp...

Situation brief on the International Criminal Court's prosecution against Thomas Lubanga, the former leader of the Union des Patriotes Congolais (UPC) who has been charged with genocide and crimes against humanity. Due to problems with the prosecutor's proposed use of evidence, the tr...

Since 1996, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has experienced constant war. The most serious crimes were committed and continue to be committed, particularly in the eastern region. Congolese society reacts by calling for military justice and other actions.

Background on the 2004 ICC arrest warrant for Bosco Ntaganda, wanted for war crimes allegedly committed in the DRC including civilian massacres and the recruitment of child soldiers. In 2009, the Congolese government decided not to arrest Bosco, and instead appointed him a deputy comm...

The transitional justice review of the DRC focuses on the ongoing security and human rights crisis in the DRC. The report recommends that the government execute existing arrest warrants, reform and strengthen the legal mechanisms for addressing grave human rights violations, establish...

Collective reparations are conceived from the perspective of who they are meant to benefit. They are focused on delivering a benefit to groups of victims that suffered from human rights violations.

Seven years have passed since the Democratic Republic of Congo has ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court without satisfying the obligation imposed on States parties to take necessary legal provisions to integrate the Rome Statute in their domestic legislation t...

Two years after the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) held its first elections since independence, the country is at a crossroads. Among the key challenges facing the DRC today is the question of how the country will address the massive human rights atrocities of its recent past to e...

Two years after the first election in the Republic Congo (DRC) since independence, the country can at a crossroads. Among the principal challenges facing the government, there is that of how the Congo will face its recent history of massive human rights violations man to lay the groun...

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon is an internationalized court that will sit in the Netherlands and seek accountability for a specific set of crimes in Lebanon. Based on negotiations between Lebanon and the United Nations but ultimately decided by the UN Security Council, the Tribunal...

This paper examines the impact of gender-focused transitional justice measures adopted in Morocco. In a one of the first transitional justice programs implemented by an Arab country, Morocco’s Equity Reconciliation Council (IER) has included stipulations on including women in transiti...

This publication provides an overview of the essential best practices guiding the main aspects of a truth commission, answering basic questions relating to its goals, powers, operations, framework, protections for commissioners and witnesses, and reporting. Its intention is to provide...

This briefing paper focuses on establishing a credible approach to accountability and human rights in a post-conflict Syria. Looking ahead to an eventual resolution to the war, it recognizes that Syrian authorities and civil society, as well as the international community, will have t...

This booklet presents information on how and when sexual violence committed in time of conflict becomes an international crime. Employing a simple question-and-answer format and illustrations, it is designed for those working in the field to assist survivors of sexual violence in the ...

This briefing paper provides an overview of the proceedings against Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo before the International Criminal Court. The conviction and sentence against Katanga signifies first final judgment of the ICC.

This paper provides a description of the brief proceedings against Callixte Mbarushimana and Sylvestre Mudacumura before the International Criminal Court.

This briefing paper provides an overview of the proceedings against Thomas Lubanga before the International Criminal Court since the start of the prosecutor’s investigation in 2004 until the 2012 decisions of Trial Chamber I concerning the verdict, the sentence, and reparations. It id...

This briefing paper analyzes and reflects on the development of the ICC prosecutor’s strategy and application of procedural rules, since operations began at the International Criminal Court more than a decade ago. The mixed results of the court’s first cases, which arise from the situ...

This report analyzes the response of Congolese judicial authorities to international crimes committed in the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2009 to 2014, with a particular focus on the war-torn East (North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri). It finds that the number ...

This briefing paper summarizes the findings of an ICTJ report (by the same name) on the judicial response to international crimes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It makes substantive recommendations to justice stakeholders in the DRC on how to advance prosecutions of internat...

Le rapport ci-joint, rédigé par l’ICTJ et la Fondation Kofi Annan, explore les postulats courants sur les raisons qui ont conduit à la création des commissions de vérité dans le sillage des conflits armés, et les facteurs les plus probables qui ont mené à leur succès – ou leur échec. ...

Le Centre International pour la Justice Transitionnelle (ICTJ) vient de publier un nouveau guide pour les néophytes, les journalistes et les activistes, qui les conduit à travers le dédale de la « complémentarité », un principe fondamental de la Cour Pénale Internationale. Ce guide ex...

Les excuses publiques officielles constituent un élément important de toute politique de justice transitionnelle. En tant que forme symbolique de réparation, les excuses expriment une reconnaissance formelle, solennelle et généralement publique que des violations des droits humains on...

Alors que les défenseurs des droits humains et les représentants des États reconnaissent de plus en plus la nécessité d’impliquer les enfants dans les processus de recherche de la vérité, il y a un besoin croissant d’outils pratiques facilitant la participation des enfants tout en pri...

Parce que les processus de justice transitionnelle sont complexes, politiquement contestés et pas nécessairement linéaires, ils présentent des défis théoriques et pratiques uniques pour mesurer leurs résultats. Ce rapport vise à améliorer les pratiques de suivi et d'évaluation et à so...

L’ICTJ existe depuis plus de vingt ans. Au moment de sa création, nombre de ceux qui ont contribué aux transitions en Argentine, au Chili, au Guatemala, en Afrique du Sud et dans l'ex-Yougoslavie ont vu la valeur d'une organisation spécialisée capable de s'appuyer sur diverses expérie...