559 results

I Am Not Who They Think I Am: New ICTJ and MediaStorm Film Confronts Stigma Facing Children Born of War

I Am Not Who They Think I Am, a new film by ICTJ and MediaStorm, exposes the stigma facing children born of conflict and their mothers and advocates for their right to reparations and redress from the state.

02/01/17
In Focus

Prosecuting the Plundering of Natural Resources in Eastern DRC to Stem Violence

Potential political interference, poor evidence gathering and difficulty accessing remote areas are some of the main challenges to prosecuting economic and environmental crimes related to armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Overcoming these challenges was the focus of a two-day workshop for judges and prosecutors in Goma and Bukavu, organized by the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), in collaboration with the United States Institute for Peace.

01/30/17
Press Releases

Watch: Tunisia Truth and Dignity Commission Hears Public Testimony

On the 39th anniversary of Tunisia's "Black Thursday," the Truth and Dignity Commission continues its public hearings.

01/26/17
In Focus

As Tunisia Confronts Truth About Abuses, ICTJ Gathers Officials to Discuss Criminal Justice

In Tunisia, efforts to seek criminal accountability have been characterized by an absence of strategy and the lack of political will. An ICTJ conference sought to address these issues and ease the confusion and political gridlock surrounding the Specialized Judicial Chambers.

01/19/17
In Focus

On Sixth Anniversary of Revolution, Tunisia Truth and Dignity Commission Holds Public Hearings

Six years to the day after Ben Ali fled the country, Tunisians are gathering around televisions, radios and computers for more victim testimony hosted by the Truth and Dignity Commission. Watch the livesteam below and follow us on twitter at @theICTJ for live coverage.

01/14/17
In Focus

Public Hearings Continue: Tunisians Testify to Violence, Corruption, and Marginalization

On December 17th, six years to the day after Mohamed Bouazizi set fire to himself and sparked the “Jasmine Revolution,” Tunisia’s Truth and Dignity Commission heard public testimony about events that unfolded during the revolution and the abuses of the regime it overthrew. Read victims' moving testimony about state violence, torture, corruption and marginalization as the country continues to grapple with its painful past.

12/21/16
In Focus

In Tunisia, 62,000 Voices Call Out for Justice

On January 14, Tunisia's Truth and Dignity Commission will resume public hearings. Salwa El Gantri outlines how ICTJ has worked with the TDC and civil society to amplify victims' voices.

12/19/16
In Focus

Tunisia's Truth and Dignity Commission Resumes Public Hearings - December 16

Following two days of historic public testimony last month, Tunisia's Truth and Dignity Commission's second set of public hearings continue. Watch the livesteam below and follow us on twitter at @theICTJ for live coverage.

12/16/16
In Focus

ICTJ at 15: A Word from President David Tolbert

Join President David Tolbert as we celebrate ICTJ at 15 years, during which there have been many pivotal moments, both for our organization and the struggle for justice globally.

12/15/16
In Focus

Profiles from the Front Lines of Transitional Justice: Jaqy Mutere Empowers Sexual Violence Survivors in Kenya

As ICTJ looks back on its 15 years of work, join us in celebrating our allies across the globe who join us in the struggle for human rights, against impunity. To honor their efforts in the trenches of this shared struggle, we will bring you their stories in the weeks and months to come. We begin with Kenya's Jaqy Mutere, who provides both an empathetic ear and a political voice to survivors of sexual violence.

12/15/16
In Focus

South Africa's Obligations to the ICC Persist

South African authorities apparently believe that once the country has officially withdrawn from the ICC, it will be free to invite the likes of Sudanese President al-Bashir to the country. That's not so, writes ICTJ's Howard Varney, who explains why the country's obligations would continue beyond its departure from the court.

12/12/16
In Focus

When No One Calls It Rape: Sexual Violence Against Men and Boys

Sexual violence against men and boys is alarmingly common amidst conflict or repression, but these crimes are often mishandled. A new ICTJ report examines how transitional justice efforts in South Africa, Kenya, Cambodia, and beyond have responded to the needs of male victims of sexual violence. What lessons can be drawn from these approaches?

12/07/16
In Focus

When No One Calls It Rape: Addressing Sexual Violence Against Men and Boys

Sexual violence against men and boys in times of conflict or repression is alarmingly common— and takes a markedly consistent form across contexts in terms of how it affects victims and societies as a human rights violation that is taboo to talk about. It has been committed in all cul...

by

Amrita Kapur and Kelli Muddell

Report

The Complex Reality Beyond the Trial of Dominic Ongwen

Dominic Ongwen's ICC trial will determine whether the former child-soldier-turned-LRA-commander is guilty or innocent. However, for those of us supporting justice globally, discussion must extend beyond simple dichotomies: the reality of Ongwen’s actions and the context in which they occurred is much more complex than whether he is guilty or innocent. Moreover, the calls for justice by victims in Uganda extend far beyond the trial of a single man, and demand a multifaceted response.

12/05/16
In Focus

“Learning Peace”: Groundbreaking New Book from ICTJ and UNICEF Stirs Debate on Education, Justice and Peacebuilding

A groundbreaking new book from the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) and UNICEF examines the complicated relationship between education, justice and peacebuilding in societies grappling with a legacy of violent conflict. It offers lessons on how education can be harnessed in a divided society to overcome the past and create the conditions for peace, often under very difficult circumstances.

11/29/16
Press Releases

“It Was A Mob:” Tunisian Victims Testify to Torture in Day Two of Truth and Dignity Commission’s Public Hearings

“I hesitated a lot before giving this testimony. But after much debate I decided to. History is not to be written in the palaces." That’s how Bechir Laabidi opened testimony on day two of public hearings at Tunisia’s Truth and Dignity Commission, where Tunisians continued to write the history of the country from the victims’ perspective. This final day of testimony focused on torture perpetrated by the dictatorship, with eight victims sharing their stories into the early hours of the morning.

11/18/16
In Focus

Revolutionary Truth: Tunisian Victims Make History on First Night of Public Hearings for TDC

Victims of Tunisia’s dictatorship shared their stories publicly on November 17 in a historic moment for the country. The Truth and Dignity Commission (TDC) - charged with investigating gross human rights violations in the country since 1955 committed under the dictatorship - held its first public hearings in Tunis, gathering victims to testify to their experiences under dictatorship. The hearings present an essential opportunity for the country to confront its painful past. Since its inception in 2014, the TDC has received over 62,000 submissions and heard testimony from about 11,000 people.

11/17/16
In Focus

“If You Don’t Believe in Human Rights, What Are You Doing in Journalism?” du Preez on Transitional Justice and Media

Later this month, Tunisians will have an opportunity to hear the truth about the dictatorship's abuses directly from victims in a series of public hearings hosted by the Truth and Dignity Commission. However, in order for these public testimonies to be effective, the media must cover victims' stories fully and explore the issues underpinning their experiences. South African journalist Max du Preez spoke with his Tunisian counterparts to help prepare them for the challenges they will face. We sat down with him afterwards to discuss the role of media in transitional justice processes.

11/02/16
In Focus

Cote d’Ivoire Youth Find Voice Through Storytelling

In Cote d’Ivoire, avenues for education system reform are limited. To help youth find their voice, ICTJ and UNICEF facilitated an innovative truth-telling project led by Ivorian young people themselves. The result: an exploration of the unique experiences of young people during the conflict, told through radio broadcasts, public discussions and reports to government officials.

10/27/16
In Focus

ICTJ Denounces South African Government’s Attempt to Exit the International Criminal Court

The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) decries the announcement that the country will seek to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the International Criminal Court and an international framework for fighting impunity for egregious crimes.

10/21/16
Press Releases

Beyond the UN: The Pursuit of Justice Must Continue in Côte d’Ivoire

UN operations are due to end in Côte d’Ivoire next June, but the country must pursue a victim-centered approach to justice even after UNOCI leaves. An ICTJ-organized conference works to prepare government, civil society, and the diplomatic community for the UN departure and chart a way towards justice and a stable peace for all of Côte d’Ivoire.

10/20/16
In Focus

Photo Project Invites Tunisian Youth to Confront Marginalization

A new project launched by ICTJ and the British Council challenges young Tunisians to explore youth marginalization through photography.

10/17/16
Press Releases

Burundi’s Vote to Leave ICC Is Ill-Conceived and Sets Dangerous Precedent, Says ICTJ

Amid deteriorating human rights conditions in the country, the lower house of Burundi’s National Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of withdrawing from the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the International Criminal Court. “Burundi should reconsider this ill-conceived decision, which undermines efforts at the national level to bring justice, peace, and stability to the country,” said ICTJ President David Tolbert.

10/13/16
Press Releases

Media and Transitional Justice: A Dream of Symbiosis in a Troubled Relationship

In transitional contexts, reporting does not simply present the facts, but instead shapes the parameters for interpreting divisive political issues. Coverage in such polarized contexts can mitigate or obscure the substance of transitional justice efforts to establish what happened, wh...

by

Refik Hodzic and David Tolbert

Briefing Paper

Transitional Justice and Media: A Crucial But Neglected Relationship

In a society grappling with the legacy of the past, citizens must make informed judgements and disentangle the facts from the sticky web of political rhetoric, denial, and polarizing propaganda. To do so, they rely on one key agent of social change: the media. But how can transitional processes effectively partner with the media and engage key constituencies? And what happens when media play a decisively negative role in mediating information about war crimes?

09/20/16
In Focus

Contested Transitions: Dilemmas of Transitional Justice in Colombia and Comparative Experience

This volume examines the effects, risks, and potential of extending the field of transitional justice to cases that do not present a key moment of political transition to peace or democracy and instead are defined by political continuity and ongoing conflict. It begins with analyses o...

by

Amanda Lyons and Michael Reed

Special Units, Special Responsibilities: How Can Search Bodies Deliver Answers to the Families of the Disappeared?

On International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the families of the missing maintain their vow: "until we find them." As special bodies to search for their loved ones develop, what do victims expect?

08/29/16
In Focus

In South Africa, Education as Redress Has Seen Mixed Results

Can education help right the wrongs of the past, especially when the majority of the population was affected by those wrongs? Teboho Moja examines that question in the context of South Africa, where efforts to reform a discriminatory educational system and redress its consequences have been met with mixed results.

08/24/16
In Focus

Understanding the Principle of Complementarity in Côte d’Ivoire

Complementarity is an essential tool in the fight against impunity - by working together, national courts and the ICC can seek justice for the worst crimes. But how is the fight against impunity playing out in Côte d’Ivoire? And how exactly can the Ivorian judiciary and the ICC ensure justice in CDI? A new review of our Handbook on Complementarity examines those questions and assesses how the Handbook can be used in his country.

08/18/16
In Focus

Not Too Late for Côte d’Ivoire to Raise Its Gaze Beyond Sectional Interests in Prosecuting Post-Election Crimes

Prosecution efforts so far have exacerbated, rather than alleviated, ethnic and regional divisions. Credible prosecutions against those most responsible on all sides of the conflict would offer a clear statement to all citizens of Côte d’Ivoire that the justice system is blind to ethnicity and is there to serve and protect all its citizens.

08/12/16
In Focus

ICTJ: Reparations for Victims in Côte d’Ivoire Must Go Beyond Cash Payments

A new paper from the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) offers clear, concrete proposals for a new reparations policy in Côte d’Ivoire for victims of serious human rights violations. The recommendations, informed by extensive work in the affected communities, consider a range of options, including compensation (cash payments), rehabilitation, and symbolic measures.

08/11/16
Press Releases

Victims Know Best: Implementing Reparations in Côte d’Ivoire

In order to create lasting reconciliation between the victims of post-election violence and the Côte d’Ivoire state, the reparations program must respond to the most serious consequences of the violence for victims through measures that address their long-lasting socioeconomic, psychosocial, and education-related effects for victims and their children. To do that, ICTJ's Cristián Correa and Didier Gbery spent more than a year discussing needs with victims groups throughout the country.

08/10/16
In Focus

Recommendations for Victim Reparations in Côte d’Ivoire

Côte d’Ivoire is obligated to provide reparations to victims of both the political violence that shook the country following the 2010 presidential elections and the different episodes of political violence and armed conflict since 1990. Fulfilling this obligation will show that the st...

by

Cristián Correa and Didier Gbery

Briefing Paper

A Close-up Look at the Fight Against Impunity in the DRC

Colonel Muntazini serves as the focal point for cooperation between the ICC and the military justice system of the DRC, making him ideally placed to explain the practical implications of complementarity. Read his review of our Handbook on Complementarity and discover how it applies to his country and his work.

08/04/16
In Focus

Helping Victims Overcome Human Rights Violations Through Education

Understanding education as a form of both reconstruction and reparations is essential for societies in their efforts to address victims’ rights and help victims and their families overcome the consequences of a painful past.

07/27/16
In Focus

Barcelona Course Examines a Responsive Approach to Justice and Peacebuilding

This summer, our Intensive Course on Transitional Justice and Peace Processes brought experts from around the world together in Barcelona to examine how transitional mechanisms can be integrated into peace negotiations. Read about the course and watch interviews with our experts.

07/26/16
In Focus

Kwoyelo and Ongwen Trials Show Progress in Fight Against Impunity

The long-awaited trials of two LRA leaders, Dominic Ongwen and Thomas Kwoyelo, will proceed in two different settings - but why? ICTJ's Sarah Kasande explains the significance of Ongwen's trial before the International Criminal Court and Kwoyelo's prosecution by the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Gulu, Uganda.

07/25/16
In Focus

Handbook on Complementarity: An Introduction to the Role of National Courts and the ICC in Prosecuting International Crimes

Where should justice for some of the world’s worst crimes be done? In national courts or at the International Criminal Court in The Hague? Our Handbook on Complementarity explores those questions, laying out the interconnected relationship between the ICC and national court systems in...

by

Paul Seils

Book

Tunisian Activists Oppose Law That Would Grant Amnesty to Corruption

Tunisian activists have taken to the streets this month to protest the proposed Economic Reconciliation Law recently revived in parliament. If approved, the bill would offer a path for corrupt Ben Ali-era officials and business people to legalize their stolen assets and secure a form of amnesty.

07/22/16
In Focus

Tunisia's Proposed "Reconciliation Law" Would Grant Amnesty for Corruption, Fail to Grow the Economy

The Tunisian government reintroduced a bill that, if passed, would grant a path for reconciliation to corrupt business people and Ben Ali-era officials. They claim it will stimulate the economy, but economics professor Dr. Abdeljelil Bédoui explains why this law is not the solution.

07/21/16
In Focus

Willie Kimani's Murder is Wake Up Call to Police Reform Failures

The brazen abduction and brutal murder of human rights lawyer Willie Kimani, his client, Josephat Mwenda, and their taxi driver, Joseph Muiruri, underlines once more the urgent need for police reform in Kenya says ICTJ's Christopher Gitari.

07/20/16
In Focus

New Handbook from ICTJ Explains the Most Important Concept Behind the ICC

A new handbook written by ICTJ vice president Paul Seils explores the relationship between the ICC and national courts.

07/19/16
Press Releases

Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Complementarity?

Think you're an expert on how national courts and the ICC work together? Put your knowledge to the test!

07/14/16
In Focus

Unpacking the Nuances of Complementarity

The struggle against impunity remains as important –and precarious –as ever as we celebrate International Justice Day on July 17. ICTJ marks the occasion with a look at complementarity, a concept critical to understanding the role that the ICC and national courts play in this struggle.

07/12/16
In Focus

“I Know the Medicine I Need”: Survivors’ Experiences Must Shape Policy

Workshop gathers survivors of gender-based wartime violence to share experiences with policymakers and practitioners.

07/08/16
In Focus

Educational Reform in Divided Societies: Northern Ireland and Bosnia

The first piece in of our "Transitional Justice and Education" series examines the role of school systems in Bosnia and Northern Ireland.

06/28/16
In Focus

Bemba’s 18-Year Jail Sentence Is ICC’s Warning to Military Leaders About Sexual Violence

Jean-Pierre Bemba's sentencing is a landmark for the International Criminal Court. Paul Seils looks at how it may reverberate into the future.

06/24/16
In Focus

Disappointed Hope: Judicial Handling of Post-Election Violence in Cote d’Ivoire

This report offers analysis of the current situation regarding the judicial handling of cases related to the post-election violence in Cote d’Ivoire. It looks at existing legal and political challenges within the domestic proceedings and suggests possible solutions.

Report

Our Voices Will Not be Silenced: Charting Women's Struggle for Justice in Tunisia

The voices of Tunisian women were in danger of being lost in the country's transitional process. Salwa El Gantri explains how one network of women's organizations made sure that did not happen by helping women find their voice and fight for justice.

06/21/16

by

Salwa El Gantri

In Focus

Survivors Speak: Book Launch and Workshop on Women and Girls in Conflict

Evelyn Amony tells the harrowing story of her years in captivity with the LRA, and experience of grinding poverty and stigma after returning home with two children, in her new memoir, I Am Evelyn Amony: Reclaiming my Life from the Lord's Resistance Army. The autobiography, which tells the difficult truths of women and girls in wartime as only a firsthand witness can, will be launched today in New York, at the Japan Society.

06/15/16
Press Releases