As war today seems to be the only agenda for some major powers, including a war against justice itself, all those who still uphold the values of international law must unite on the side of all victims, without discrimination, and support any genuine pursuit of justice, writes Alain Werner, director of Civitas Maxima.
For the first time, a former head of state will appear before the International Criminal Court in The Hague for crimes against humanity committed against his own citizens during peacetime, notes international lawyer Alain Werner, who follows each month what pushes — or fails to push — justice forward.
The world urgently needs a public mobilization around humanitarian law and the necessity of maintaining minimum standards of humanity in war. Switzerland, as the depository state of the Geneva Conventions, should be at the forefront, actively advocating for all victims of violations of international humanitarian law and defending this law with passion.
As International Women’s Day is celebrated worldwide, Civitas Maxima would like to pay tribute to women lawyers who dedicate their career to international justice and human rights. Among these women, are the many interns we have welcomed, who have kept the memory of a stimulating experience and supportive workplace.
The new U.S. administration is targeting both the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Geneva Conventions, as evidenced by the new Secretary of Defense’s stance on international humanitarian law. It is time to wake up, writes Alain Werner, director of the NGO Civitas Maxima.
While national courts have been able to address cases of international crimes involving the Syrian state, it now falls to Syrian lawyers to achieve the democratic overhaul of their judicial system and provide justice for the victims—a challenge that deserves all our solidarity, writes Alain Werner, director of Civitas Maxima.
The Sperisen case: model of fair proceedings The dramatic fall of the Syrian regime ten days ago has once again highlighted the growing importance of national jurisdictions in prosecuting the most serious international crimes. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has no jurisdiction over crimes committed in Syria, and therefore, should Bashar al-Assad or other senior […]
The ICC has attracted global attention with its spectacular arrest warrants against Putin and Netanyahu. However, the return of the Republicans in the United States might seal the ICC’s future inability to act, through a law that will sanction anyone collaborating with it.
The ECOWAS Court dismissed claims urging Liberia to investigate the 1990 Lutheran Church massacre, citing jurisdictional limits. This ruling highlights challenges for victims seeking justice for past atrocities in West Africa.
During his visit to Geneva in early October, Civitas Maxima had the honor of welcoming Juan Garcés, a Spanish lawyer and the man behind the arrest, 26 years ago, of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. He spoke about this battle, which paved a new path for justice in the pursuit of the gravest crimes.
