Our team
Alain Werner
Director
Alain is a lawyer registered with the Geneva Bar (CH) and holds an LL.M from Columbia University (New York). He has worked for the Office of the Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) in several trials including the trial in The Hague of the former President of Liberia, Charles Taylor.
He also appeared at the trial of Kaing Guek Eav, or “Duch”, before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in Phnom Penh where he acted as a lawyer for the civil parties (victims of the crimes of the Khmer Rouge). Mr. Werner also represented the victims in the case against former President of Chad, Hissène Habré, in front of the Extraordinary African Chambers in Dakar, Senegal. Alain Werner also represents Liberian plaintiffs in the first criminal case for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Switzerland against Alieu Kosiah.
In 2019 he was awarded the”Bâtonnier Michel Halpérin for Excellence” by the Geneva Bar Association.
In November 2020, Mr. Werner was selected as an Ashoka fellow, the world’s biggest network of social entrepreneurs and change leaders. This fellowship is an important recognition of the unique modus operandi of Civitas Maxima, and highlights the innovative method applied by Civitas Maxima and the GJRP.
In July 2024, Mr. Werner was registered on the list of Counsels admitted to appear in front of the International Criminal Court.
Bérangère Pineau Soukkarieh
Head of Operations
Bérangère is a Franco-Lebanese jurist, holding a master’s degree in the field of International Public Law from the University of Law and Political Sciences in Paris, France, and a bachelor’s degree in Russian from the University of Foreign Languages and Literature in Tours, France.
Prior to joining Civitas Maxima, Bérangère worked in the human rights and development sectors in the MENA region, where she worked extensively with civil society organizations for fifteen years. In Lebanon, she worked with local human rights NGOs which focused their work on prevention of torture, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances. Bérangère is a Board Member of the Lebanese Center for Human Rights, a local civil society human rights organization based in Beirut, Lebanon. She is the co-founder of Exigo Research and Communications, a consulting firm providing research and monitoring and evaluation services for research institutions, international non-governmental organizations, and governmental agencies with programming in complex and volatile security contexts, including in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Jordan.
Legal
Kristina Hon
Senior Legal Counsel
Kristina is an American-qualified attorney barred in the State of New York and at the Supreme Court of the United States. She holds an LL.M. in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights; a Juris Doctor from Seton Hall University School of Law; a Master’s in Diplomacy and International Relations from Seton Hall University; and a Bachelor’s from the George Washington University with a double major in International Affairs and History.
Prior to joining Civitas Maxima, Kristina served for almost ten years as an attorney and analyst on the defense team of a Guantánamo Bay detainee charged with terrorism-related war crimes and facing the death penalty before a U.S. military commission.
Giulia Fattori
Legal Counsel
Giulia is a qualified lawyer admitted to the Italian Bar and holds an LL.M. in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. She holds a law degree from the Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi of Milan and a II-level Master’s degree in Corporate Crime and Economic Criminal Law from the Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore of Milan.
Before joining Civitas Maxima, Giulia worked as a Legal Associate for the International Committee of the Red Cross and as a Legal Intern for the United Nations Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar in Geneva. Prior to this, she worked as a Trainee Lawyer for two and a half years in Milan at first-tier law firms, handling criminal cases. She is an Academic Fellow at Bocconi University and, since 2019, a Teaching Assistant for the courses on International Criminal Law and International Human Rights Law.
Rebecca Fleming
Legal Counsel
Rebecca is a jurist working as Legal Counsel at Civitas Maxima. She holds a master’s degree in Economic Law and a bachelor’s degree in Political Sciences from Sciences Po Paris.
Rebecca previously worked as an intern for Amnesty International, focusing on corporate social responsibility, and for TRIAL International, where she was involved in investigating and filing cases related to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Rebecca further served as Programme Assistant for the West Africa Regional Office of Interpeace in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, managing community-based peacebuilding projects in the West African region. Before joining Civitas Maxima, Rebecca was a Legal and Policy Officer at the European Commission, where she notably worked in the field of victims’ rights and for the Commission’s Legal Service.
Holly Huxtable
Legal Counsel
Holly Huxtable is a UK qualified lawyer with experience in international human rights law and international criminal law. She holds an advanced master in Public International Law from Leiden University.
Before joining Civitas Maxima, Holly was a Legal Officer at REDRESS where she worked on universal jurisdiction and survivor centred approaches to documentation and litigation. Previously, she has worked for the Office of the Prosecutor in the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, as well as for local Cambodian CSOs assisting to document and file complaints for human rights violations. Holly has specialised in victims rights, and provided consulting assistance on the topic to OSCE, the Council of Europe, and IOM.
Elsa Marguet
Legal Counsel
Elsa contributes to a number of Civitas Maxima’s European cases concerning alleged international crimes in Liberia and Ivory Coast. She also supports Civitas Maxima’s capacity building efforts with GJRP.
Elsa is a French jurist holding a master’s degree in International Public Law from the University of Strasbourg as well as a master’s degree in Human Rights Law and a ‘university degree’ in International Criminal Law from the University of Paris-Nanterre. She worked on international cases at the International Criminal Court and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
Adriana Schnyder
Legal Counsel
Adriana Schnyder is a jurist and academic researcher specialized in international criminal law, transitional justice and human rights law. Adriana conducted her doctoral research at the Law Faculty of the University of Geneva (in process of finalization). She is also a lecturer in these fields at the University of Geneva. Her thesis examined the state’s obligations to investigate and prosecute serious human rights violations in the inter-American human rights system. In 2021, she was awarded the Tremplin Grant, which supports female researchers in their academic careers at the University of Geneva. Adriana holds a Master’s degree in Law from the Universities of Geneva and Basel.
Prior to joining Civitas Maxima, Adriana was an associate researcher in the “Right to Truth, Truth(s) through Right(s)” project at the University of Geneva, where she also worked as a teaching and research assistant at the Centre d’étude, de technique et d’évaluation législatives.
Maria Teresa Tienda Rivera
Legal Counsel
Maria Teresa Tienda Rivera is a Spanish lawyer with experience in international human rights law and international criminal law. She holds a master in International Law from the University of Geneva and an LL.M from Duke Law School.
She started her career in human rights advocating before the UN Human Rights Council and other UN human rights mechanisms in Geneva, Switzerland. After a brief period working as a lawyer in Spain, Maria Teresa worked as a visiting professional at the International Criminal Court in The Hague and for the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Maria Teresa collaborated with Civitas in 2018 as mandataire, and then joined as legal counsel in August 2021. She is qualified to practice law in Spain and has working knowledge of the US legal system.
Oumayma Anis
Legal Fellow
Oumayma Anis is a Canadian-qualified lawyer barred in the province of Quebec with experience in international human rights law and international public law. She holds a J.D and an LL.M in Common Law and Transnational Law, as well as an LL.M in Public International Law and International Politics from Université de Sherbrooke.
Before joining Civitas Maxima, Oumayma was a Legal Intern at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies where she worked on governance matters and public international law issues. Previously, she has interned with the Human Rights Liaison Unit of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Oumayma has conducted multiple research projects, notably on human trafficking and refugees’ rights.
Belén Guerrero Romero
Legal Fellow
Belén is a Spanish Spanish-qualified lawyer working as a Legal Fellow at Civitas Maxima. She holds an LL.M. in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, a Bachelor in Spanish Law from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, and a Bachelor in International Studies from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
Prior to joining Civitas Maximas, she worked as a Legal Intern at the International Criminal Court, as well as a Legal Trainee in International Criminal Law at the Asser Institute.
Communications and Outreach
Julia Rosso
Communications Officer
Julia contributes to the maintenance of Civitas Maxima’s communication strategy with a focus on digital tools and social media. She also participates in the translation and design of various communication products as well as press relations.
Julia studied communications and political sciences at Sciences Po Grenoble with the aim of working for the non-profit sector. During her Master’s degree, she completed two internships at the United Nations before joining Civitas Maxima.
Fundraising
Amanda Seilern
Head of Private Fundraising
Born in Geneva and educated there, in America and in the UK, Amanda holds a BA from Oxford University and a postgraduate degree from the Courtauld Institute of Art, London. After working at Sotheby’s London in charge of departmental clients and sales, Amanda was deputy director of a London gallery.
Since moving back to Geneva in 2009, Amanda has devoted her professional life to brand development, events management and fundraising for a range of enterprises. In the past couple of years she has devoted her expertise to philanthropy, working for local nonprofit entities including B8 of Hope and Research for Life. She joined Civitas Maxima in November 2018 where she is responsible for promoting the mission of the organization, enhancing its visibility and developing fund-raising actions.
Nakil Bieri
Head of Institutional Fundraising | OSINT Analyst
Nakil heads the organization’s Institutional Fundraising department, focusing on donor reporting and representing the organization to institutional partners.
Nakil also contributes to investigative work as an OSINT analyst, producing structured open-source findings to support documentation and strategic litigation.
Prior to joining CM, Nakil built experience across the private and development sectors. He led academic research projects at the United Nations Office at Geneva and worked in the communications department of the World Health Organization. He has contributed to research programs on topics including small arms smuggling into Syria, transnational organised crime in Latin America, and the recruitment of foreign fighters among Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Nakil holds a bachelor’s degree in History and Social Anthropology from the University of Fribourg and a master’s degree in International Politics and History from the Geneva Graduate Institute.
Finance and Administration
Jeanette Rouvinez
Head of Finance
Jeanette manages and coordinates the organization financial and administrative needs. She also closely collaborates with GJRP’s financial officer, building their finance and accounting capacity. She joined the organization in 2014.
Jeanette has worked for both private and non-profit sectors, and has more that 16 years of experience in accounting and finance. Jeanette holds a bachelor’s degree in accountancy (Aquinas University of Legazpi, Philippines).
Feven Kiflom
Accounting Officer
Feven works principally in accounting and provides assistance on HR related matters. She ensures that all records are up to date and helps develop our accounting system and tools. Feven also provides general administrative support.
Feven holds a professional maturity in Economy and services, type economy and continues her studies at the University of Applied Sciences Geneva in the International Business Management (IBM) program.
Strategic Partners and Funders
- Our sister organization, the Global Justice and Research Project, Monrovia, Liberia
- Agro Companies International SA, Switzerland
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, U.S.
- Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR), Switzerland
- Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Courrégé & Foreman, France
- Flomo Theater Production Inc., Liberia
- Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, Switzerland
- Hannes Snellman
- Human Rights Watch, International Justice Program, U.S.
- Inoks Capital SA, Switzerland
- International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Law and Policy Forum, Switzerland
- Jacquemoud & Stanislas, Switzerland
- Liberia Visual Arts Academy, Liberia
- New Narratives, West Africa
- Oak Foundation, Switzerland
- Ochsner & Associés, Switzerland
- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Liberia and Switzerland
- PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Switzerland
- Secretariat for the Establishment of War Crimes Court in Liberia (SEWACCOL), Liberia
- Swiss Incorp, Switzerland
- The Advocates for Human Rights, U.S.
- The Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA), U.S.
- The Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy Platform, Liberia
- The Institute for International Criminal Investigations, The Hague, The Netherlands
- The Karl Popper Foundation, Switzerland
- The Sigrid Rausing Trust, London, UK
- The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, Geneva, Switzerland
- The University of Nottingham Human Rights Law Centre, UK
- White & Case LLP, Geneva, Switzerland
- Walleyn & Blanmailland, Belgium
- Zennström Philanthropies, London, UK
Key Documents
