Iranian victims are turning to foreign courts to pursue justice for crimes committed by their own government. Three cases—from Switzerland, Sweden and Argentina—show how civil society can mobilize international law when international courts remain out of reach.
Today, Belgian judges referred Martina Johnson, former NPFL commander under Charles Taylor, to trial before the Ghent Assize Court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during Liberia’s 1992 Operation Octopus.
Civitas Maxima marks 10 years of partnership with the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, continuing to host student interns and support the next generation of lawyers working to advance justice and accountability for international crimes.
Armed men raided the Global Justice and Research Project’s office in Monrovia on February 20, threatening staff and assaulting a guard. Rights groups condemn the attack and urge Liberia’s government to protect human rights defenders and advance a special court.
In January, Civitas Maxima endorsed the Initiative for Disability Inclusion in the Convention on Crimes against Humanity, supporting the meaningful inclusion of persons with disabilities and strengthening accountability for crimes committed against them under international law.
Despite its legal clarity and direct evidence in cases like Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the crime of aggression remains almost untried—prompting calls for a special tribunal and renewed focus on international justice
On May 27, 2025, the criminal division of the Jura-Bernois Seeland Regional Court in Switzerland found Mr. Alan White, a U.S. national, guilty of acts of defamation committed in July 2021 against the Director of Civitas Maxima, Alain Werner. The same Court issued a 38-page written judgment analyzing in detail the Court’s argumentation. We have since updated our article to make the English translation of the judgment available.
On May 27, 2025, the criminal division of the Jura-Bernois Seeland Regional Court in Switzerland found Mr. Alan White, a U.S. national, guilty of acts of defamation committed in July 2021 against the Director of Civitas Maxima, Alain Werner. The same Court issued a 38-page written judgment analyzing in detail the Court’s argumentation. Alan White has appealed this judgment, and the appeal proceedings are ongoing.
Universal jurisdiction is often hailed as a last resort for justice, yet victims and witnesses face severe risks when speaking out. Drawing on cases from Liberia, this article examines threats, protection gaps, and the urgent need for stronger, victim-centred safeguards beyond convictions.
U.S. sanctions against its judges and prosecutors, contempt for its authority: attacks against the International Criminal Court continue relentlessly. National courts, however, have picked up the mantle in prosecuting international crimes and this movement has now become the true flagship of international criminal justice.
