Focus on International Justice – November
Colombian Court charges ex-FARC commanders in child soldiers ‘macro-case’
On November 13, Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) unveiled its indictment of 6 former FARC commanders, charged with war crimes related to the recruitment and use of child soldiers. According to prosecutors, the FARC recruited over 18,000 child soldiers between 1971 and 2016, with 64% of the children being under the age of 14 at the time of their recruitment. The commanders have also been charged with other war crimes relating to ill-treatment and sexual and gender violence committed against the child soldiers.
While the organisation’s representatives have, for the most part, argued that the use of child soldiers was not a ‘permanent, conscious practice’, certain former FARC members are reported to have accepted their responsibility for widespread abuses of children committed by the group.
Landmark case delivers rare accountability for U.S post-9/11 torture
A jury in Virginia, USA has held CACI Premier Technology, the military contractor which provided interrogators to the infamous Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, liable to pay $42 million to 3 Iraqis for the torture and abuse they suffered in the prison in 2003 and 2004. This is the first case of its kind to make it to trial and to deliver a rare measure of justice to survivors of the U.S. government’s post-9/11 torture regime.
Ukraine adopts law to provide reparations to survivors of conflict-related sexual violence
Ukraine has become the first country to implement urgent reparations for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence during an ongoing conflict, after adopting a law which will recognise the victim status of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and establish a reparation mechanism. The ‘Bardina Law’ offers them access to urgent interim reparations such as psychological support, medical care, and compensation. The law is expected to come into effect in the first half of 2025.
International Criminal Court seeks arrest warrant for Myanmar’s army chief over crimes committed against Rohingya community
Following investigations into the situation in Myanmar/Bangladesh that started in 2019, the International Criminal Court has requested the arrest of Myanmar’s army chief, General Min Aung Hlaing, for crimes against humanity, including deportation and persecution committed against the Rohingya minority. The ICC estimates that the violence led to the forcible displacement of over one million Rohingya, many of whom sought refuge in neighboring Bangladesh.
Crimes against Indigenous Peoples before regional and domestic courts in Guatemala
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has ruled Guatemala responsible for the enforced disappearance of four indigenous human rights defenders in 1989. In its ruling, the court ordered Guatemala to conduct an investigation into the disappearances, implement a national strategy for searching for disappeared persons, and establish policies for declassifying military archives related to the country’s internal armed conflict. In a case before Guatemala’s criminal court, prosecutors have requested a combined prison sentence of 2,860 years against former Army General Benedicto Lucas García for genocide and crimes against humanity committed against the Maya Ixil Indigenous group.
ICC judges have issued arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas’ military commander Mohammed Deif
On 21 November, the ICC issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu and former Commander-in-Chief, Yoav Gallant, as well as against Hamas Commander Mohammed Deif. It was found by the Prosecutor’s Office that there were reasonable grounds that the three men are responsible for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the war between Israel and Hamas.
Former armed group leader convicted for crimes against humanity in Democratic Republic of Congo
Donat Kwenga Omari, a former solider and leader of a coalition of armed groups operating in South Kivu, has been found guilty of crimes such as rape, torture, deprivation of liberty, and other inhumane acts, by a military court in Bukavu. Reparations, including rehabilitation measures for victims or rape and torture, were awarded to over 300 civil parties.
Peruvian death squad members sentenced for murders of civilians
7 members of the ‘Colina Death Squad’ were sentenced to prison sentences of up to 20 years for the murder of 16 civilians in 1992, during the conflict between the country’s Dictator Fujimori and guerrilla groups. Each of the 7 defendants, including Fujimori’s former head of the Army, and former intelligence advisor, are currently serving prison sentences stemming from other crimes against humanity cases.
Serbian war crimes suspect extradited to Croatia
A former member of a Serbian paramilitary group has been arrested, under a European arrest warrant, by French authorities and extradited to Croatia. The man is suspected of the murder and mistreatment of Croatian prisoners during the country’s war for independence in 1991.
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Photo: Colombian people protesting for peace. Credit: Leon Hernandez
