Resource Library

Memory Reconstructs Society and Reestablishes Rights

In a simple house made of wood and straw and smelling of earth, women, girls, and the occasional man narrate, sometimes laughing and other times crying, the stories of how their life used to be before being forcibly displaced to San Juan Nepomuceno. This is one of the many local memory initiatives taking place throughout Colombia today.

03/13/12

Spain Declares Itself Powerless

The Spanish Supreme Court has ruled the judiciary has no place investigating the deaths and disappearances of the Franco era. The verdict is a disappointment for the victims of Francoism and confirms Spain remains unwilling to deliver justice for the crimes of the past, writes Eduardo González, director of ICTJ's Truth and Memory program

03/09/12

A Complementarity Case Study in Uganda: Podcast with Justice Akiiki Kiiza

Uganda's first trial for war crimes committed by the brutal Lord's Resistance Army rebel movement is currently underway. To further ICTJ’s special podcast series on complementarity, we sat down with Justice Dan Akiiki Kiiza, head of Uganda's International Crimes Division, to discuss the progress and challenges of complementarity in the country. [Download](/sites/default/files/Akiiki_Kiiza_ICTJ_Podcast_02192012.mp3) | Duration: 09:44mins | File size: 5.57MB

02/22/12

EU Must Protect Bosnia’s War Crimes Court

The War Crimes Chamber of Bosnia’s State Court is one of the most successful undertakings to address the legacy of mass atrocities in national courts. As this important institution finds itself under serious threat, the European Union must act quickly to put a stop to attempts of the Bosnian Serb political leadership to undermine Bosnia’s capacity to prosecute war crimes at state level.

02/08/12

Colombia's Landmark Ruling Orders Reparations for Former Child Soldiers

December 16, 2011 saw the world’s first ruling mandating reparations be paid for the unlawful recruitment of minors into armed forces. More than 300 former youth paramilitaries in Colombia will receive reparations including monetary compensation and medical and psychological care.

01/17/12

Property Rights in Kosovo: A Haunting Legacy of a Society in Transition

Property Rights in Kosovo explores cultural, political and social factors dating as far back as the Ottoman period that have contributed to the present state of property rights. It examines the legacy of the armed conflict and NATO intervention of 1999 in the massive population displa...

01/13/04

ICTJ; Edward Tawil

Greentree Meeting Advances Complementarity from Policy to Practice

As ICTJ co-hosts a discussion on complementarity on the margins of the Assembly of State Parties (ASP) of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the principle of ensuring accountability for serious crimes has seen a major breakthrough at a recent high-level meeting at Greentree. The meeting brought together international justice actors, development practitioners, UN representatives, and national rule of law actors to discuss the practical implementation of complementarity and how to strengthen domestic systems seeking to investigate serious crimes.

12/16/11

ICTJ Launches Special Podcast Series on Complementarity

In an effort to advance dialogue on accountability for crimes against humanity and genocide, ICTJ has launched a special podcast series on complementarity, speaking with leading global voices in international and national justice, civil society, policy, and development. [Download](/sites/default/files/Greentree_Collage_ICTJ_Podcast_12142011.mp3) | Duration: 09:51mins | File size: 5.6KB

12/16/11

ICTJ Welcomes the Election of Fatou Bensouda as Prosecutor of the ICC

NEW YORK, Dec. 14, 2011—ICTJ welcomes the election of Fatou Bensouda of Gambia as the next prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Ms. Bensouda was unanimously elected December 12 by the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) during its 10th session in New York City, and will be the court's second prosecutor, commencing in June 2012.

12/14/11

Press Releases

Impunity Must be Fought at the National Level: Podcast with David Tolbert

If the international community is seriously committed to fighting impunity for mass atrocity, national courts in the countries where such crimes have been committed must be at the frontline. International development actors are crucial to making this possible. [Download](/sites/default/files/Tolbert_ICTJ_Podcast_11302011_2.mp3) | Duration: 12:33mins | File size: 7KB

12/05/11

Impact of the Yugoslav and Rwanda Tribunals: Lessons for the International Criminal Court

View the live broadcast of tonight's panel discussion with Richard Goldstone, David Tolbert, Hassan Jallow and Diane Orentlicher from 6:30pm–8:30pm.

11/29/11

Memory: Public Policy for Transformation in Colombia

ICTJ and the Center for Memory, Peace and Reconciliation of Colombia are organizing an event on Memory: Public Policy for Transformation. Dialogue at the conference will serve as the basis for providing recommendations to the process of creating the Center for Historical Memory and designing public memory policy in the country.

11/23/11

Tina Rosenberg speaks of violence in Latin America, 20 years later

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the publication of Children of Cain, the first book by writer and journalist Tina Rosenberg. ICTJ spoke with Rosenberg about how political violence has evolved in Latin America over the past 20 years, and the continuing need for accountability for past atrocities.

11/22/11

Transcript: Tina Rosenberg speaks on violence in Latin America

11/22/11

Truth-seeking in the Western Balkans: Initiative for a Regional Truth Commission

Join ICTJ as we co-host a delegation of RECOM’s leaders at two events in New York on November 14 and 15. They will share their experience campaigning for truth in the Western Balkans, present the draft mandate submitted to the presidents of the region, and discuss a successful public campaign that has gathered over 500,000 signatures in support of the commission.

11/08/11

ICTJ Presents: PBS Series “Women, War & Peace” – War Redefined

On October 11, PBS will launch the five-part series "Women, War & Peace," focusing the dialogue about conflict and security on the roles women play both as targets of violence and key partners in the peace process. ICTJ sat down with two of the three producers, Pamela Hogan and Gini Reticker, to discuss insights from the upcoming series. [Download](/sites/default/files/Hogan_and_Reticker_ICTJ_Podcast_10052011.mp3) | Duration: 14:38mins | File size: 8.75MB

10/06/11

Truth-Seeking and the Challenge of Sustainable Peace

ICTJ hosted its third Intensive Course, Truth-seeking and the Challenge of Sustainable Peace, on September 26–30. Based on concrete field experience, the participants explored the relationship between truth-seeking and peace in societies that have experienced or are still experiencing armed conflict.

10/05/11

Through a New Lens: A Child Sensitive Approach to Transitional Justice

As of 2010, over 1 billion children worldwide were living in territories affected by armed conflict, over one-quarter of them under the age of five. This means the “average” civilian victim—a person killed, injured, or forced to flee his or her home—is likely to be a child or youth. ICTJ’s pioneering report “ Through a New Lens: A Child-Sensitive Approach to Transitional Justice” analyzes experiences of four countries—Liberia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Colombia and Nepal—and identifies some key lessons on children’s participation in transitional justice measures. [Download](/sites/default/files/Ladisch_ICTJ_Podcast_31092011.mp3) | Duration: 7mins | File size: 4.2MB

09/01/11

Through a New Lens: A Child-Sensitive Approach to Transitional Justice

“Through a New Lens: A Child-Sensitive Approach to Transitional Justice” analyzes experiences of four countries—Liberia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Colombia and Nepal—and identifies some key lessons on children’s participation in transitional justice measures. Authored by Céc...

09/01/11

ICTJ; Cécile Aptel; Virginie Ladisch

Mapping Genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Podcast with Alma Masic

In this podcast, Alma Masic, director of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, discusses her work on virtual memorials related to the crimes that occurred in Bosnia in the 1990s and the significance of truth and memory in the region. [Download](/sites/default/files/Masic_ICTJ_Podcast_07312011.mp3) | Duration: 7:40mins | File size: 4.38MB

08/01/11

Strengthening Indigenous Rights through Truth Commissions

ICTJ hosted a conference on “Strengthening Indigenous Rights through Truth Commissions” July 19-21, 2011. Regional and international experts convened to discuss how truth commissions can incorporate and address indigenous peoples’ rights. Videos of each session and summaries of the conference proceedings are available.

07/25/11

Strengthening Indigenous Rights through Truth Commissions | July 19–21 New York

ICTJ's expert conference on the relationship between truth-seeking and indigenous rights is in session. View the live stream here.

07/19/11

Colombian Accountability and HRWIFF Films: Podcast with Michael Reed

In this week’s podcast Michael Reed Hurtado, head of ICTJ’s Colombia program, discusses Colombia’s transition and ongoing conflict and how the films La Toma (The Siege) and Impunity reflect the processes he sees on the ground. [Download](/sites/default/files/Reed_ICTJ_Podcast_06052011.mp3) | Duration: 7mins | File size: 3.85MB

06/07/11

The Applicability of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide to Events which Occurred During the Early Twentieth Century

This memorandum is a legal analysis of the applicability of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide to events which occurred in Turkey-Armenia during the early twentieth century. It was drafted by independent legal counsel based on a request made to...

01/01/02

ICTJ

A Casualty of Politics: Overview of Acts and Projects of Reparation On the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia

This study examines various aspects of existing reparations following the 1991-1999 conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. It clarifies the different categories of reparation; identifies groups potentially entitled to compensation; assesses the extent and fairness of existing policies; a...

07/01/02

ICTJ; Djordje Djordjević

Genocide a Fitting Charge for Mladic

The arrest of Ratko Mladic reignited debates on a wide spectrum of related issues, from its implications on the prospects for true reckoning with the past in the countries of the former Yugoslavia to the possible jolt it will give to Serbia’s hopes of joining the European Union. Beyond the immediate impact on the region, the strongest reverberations of Mladic’s transfer to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) will be felt in the discourse on international justice.

06/02/11

Summary Report regarding Local, Regional and International Documentation of War Crimes and Human Rights Violations in the former Yugoslavia

This study identifies the range of agencies in and outside the former Yugoslavia that collect documentation on war crimes and other human rights violations committed in the 1991-1999 wars. Several factors that point to the need for an overview of data-collecting agencies in the region...

04/01/02

ICTJ; Djordje Djordjević

Serbia and Montenegro: Selected Developments in Transitional Justice

Since the end of open armed conflict in the former Yugoslavia, there has been little progress in transitional justice. This particularly applies to Serbia and Montenegro, which has lurched from one political crisis to another. This paper provides an overview of some of the major issue...

10/01/04

ICTJ

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Selected Developments in Transitional Justice

This paper provides an overview of the major issues and recent developments in transitional justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). It examines the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), local trials, the proposed Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Sr...

10/01/04

ICTJ

Forgotten Voices: A Population-Based Survey on Attitudes About Peace and Justice in Northern Uganda

This report is based on a population-based survey assessing attitudes about peace and justice in Northern Uganda. For nearly two decades, the Lord's Resistance Army has been in conflict with Ugandan government forces, killing countless civilians and abducting tens of thousands of chil...

07/01/05

ICTJ; the Human Rights Center, University of California, Berkeley

The Contemporary Right to Property Restitution in the Context of Transitional Justice

This study examines the development of restitution and reparations in international law and practice over the last century. It aims to provide recommendations on how restitution can best contribute to transitional justice by reviewing four case-studies: the Czech Republic, South Afric...

05/01/07

ICTJ; Rhodri C. Williams

Croatia: Selected Developments in Transitional Justice

This case study offers an overview of some of the major issues and recent developments in transitional justice in Croatia. While the main focus is on war crimes prosecutions before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and Croatian courts, it also examines trut...

12/01/06

ICTJ; Thierry Cruvellier and Marta Valiñas

Lessons from the Deployment of International Judges and Prosecutors in Kosovo

This case study reviews and analyzes the deployment of international judges and prosecutors in Kosovo. It is part of a series providing information on hybrid courts' policy and practical issues. Although the Kosovo system of international judges and prosecutors has made significant st...

03/05/06

ICTJ; Tom Perriello, Marieke Wierda

ICTJ Report: Colombians Want Genuine Peace with Justice

This article focuses on the results of an ICTJ nation-wide survey: Colombian Perceptions and Opinions on Justice, Truth, Reparations, and Reconciliation. Colombians expressed a strong demand for accountability and reparations and low support for lenient sentences. ICTJ demands the Co...

12/22/06

ICTJ

When the War Ends: Peace, Justice, and Social Reconstruction in Northern Uganda

This report compares findings from two population-based surveys (in 2005 and 2007) in districts of northern Uganda most affected by 21 years of conflict, including the Acholi districts. The studies capture attitudes about peace, justice, and social reconstruction. Developing a deeper...

12/01/07

ICTJ, Human Rights Center, Payson Center for International Development

Against the Current: War Crimes Prosecutions in Serbia

This report examines the effectiveness of war crimes prosecutions in Serbia. While the War Crimes Chamber (WCC) and the Office of the War Crimes Prosecutor (OWCP) have had some success, significant concerns exist - such as opposition from ethnic nationalists. Despite shortcomings, the...

01/01/07

ICTJ; Bogdan Ivanišević

ICTJ Presents Two Film Premieres at Human Rights Watch Festival

ICTJ is pleased to announce two films premiering at the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival (HRWIFF) in June. IMPUNITY (New York premiere) + Q&A with filmmakers What is the cost of truth for families immobilized by Colombia’s violent past? In 2005, Colombia started gathering evidence...

05/24/11

U.S. Counter-Narcotics Interests Killing Colombian Victims’ Hope

As the United States and Colombia near the signing of a free-trade agreement and resolve differences over labor rights and other issues, the problematic extraditions of paramilitaries accused of savage crimes committed during the years of counter-insurgency remain far from the spotlight.

05/13/11

Colombia: Recognition of Armed Conflict a Positive Step

BOGOTÁ, May 12, 2011—The decision by President Juan Manuel Santos to recognize the existence of an internal armed conflict in Colombia is a positive step toward transparency and truth-telling in that country, ICTJ said today. The Colombian government has denied for years the existence of an internal armed conflict there, although it was never in doubt from an international law perspective.

05/12/11

Press Releases

On Sequences and Linkages: the Relationship between Justice, Security and Development

Some habits die hard. This is especially true of ways of thinking. Despite significant changes in national and international law and practice in the last thirty years—the period that corresponds with the emergence of transitional justice as a field—the recent upheaval in the Middle East and Northern Africa region has provoked proposals that hearken back to a period that we may have thought long gone.

04/29/11

UN Universal Periodic Review Submission

The Criminal Procedure for Justice and Peace (Spanish)

This is a compilation of cases from the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Colombia.

01/01/09

ICTJ, ASDI

Book

Conflict and Transitional Justice in Africa (Dari)

Background on the challenges in addressing legacies of past violence in sub-Saharan African countries such as Uganda, Ethiopia and Eritrea. The fact sheet gives an overview of the situation in the region and ICTJ's approaches in promoting transitional justice in individual countries. ...

01/01/09

ICTJ

Fact Sheet

Northern Uganda: Research Note on Attitudes About Peace and Justice in Northern Uganda

This research note presents preliminary population-based data on attitudes about peace and justice in northern Uganda. The survey data presented in this report were collected from April to June 2007 in eight districts of northern Uganda.

01/01/08

ICTJ; HRC; Payson Center

Justice in Peacebuilding: Towards a policy framework for the European Union

The European Union has an extensive commitment to peacebuilding. This includes the whole range of relevant EU activities, from facilitating peace agreements and crisis management under the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), to short, medium, and long-term peacebuilding program...

04/26/11

ICTJ; IfP; Laura Davis; and Thomas Unger

Serbia: Submission to the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council

The application of transitional justice mechanisms, such as war crimes trials and reparations, has significant flaws in Serbia. Lack of progress may be even greater in truth-seeking and vetting of public officials. Serbia must do much more in all areas of transitional justice, for its...

01/01/08

ICTJ

The War Crimes Chamber in Bosnia and Herzegovina: From Hybrid to Domestic Court

The War Crimes Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which began its work 9 March 2005, has been the most significant national effort in Bosnia and Herzegovina to investigate and prosecute persons allegedly involved in serious violations of international law during the 1992–...

01/01/08

ICTJ; Bogdan Ivanisevic

Transitional Justice in Colombia

In Colombia, the shifting boundaries between drug trafficking and political crime and the tension between security and human rights pose particular challenges for those seeking accountability for past abuses and respect for human rights.

01/01/08

ICTJ

Fact Sheet

Transitional Justice and Georgia's Conflicts: Breaking the Silence

Transitional Justice and Georgia's Conflicts: Breaking the Silence examines the conflicts involving Georgia from a transitional justice perspective. Frichova argues that introducing this dimension into the public discourse in Georgia and its breakaway territories could help advance co...

05/01/09

ICTJ; Magdalena Frichova

Serbia and Montenegro: Selected Development in Transitional Justice

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of some of the major issues and recent developments in transitional justice in Serbia and Montenegro. In particular, it examines the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), local trials, the national Truth a...

02/01/09

ICTJ; Mark Freeman