During my recent trip to the Hague, we also had the amazing chance to meet the ICC’s Chief Prosecutor, Mr. Luis Moreno-Ocampo. As students, we had an incredible opportunity to ask Mr. Ocampo critical questions and hear his responses and opinions; this was immensely valuable, especially as it provided me with a completely different perspective….
From Monday to Wednesday this week, I visited The Hague in the Netherlands with the International Criminal Court Student Network (ICCSN). The purpose of our “field trip” was to learn about the ICC and its work in a more concrete and realistic manner, as opposed to the highly theoretical aspects we learn about in class….
Wow. So in a very exciting development, the Palestinian authority and others have requested the ICC to investigate possible war crimes that have been committed in Gaza in the most recent Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno Ocampo, is going to consider the investigation – especially because last week, the Palestinian Authority accepted the…
In my previous post, I emphasized the need for a focus on rule of law and human rights, rather than simply ‘democracy promotion.’ Well, there is an amazing organization striving to do just that. One of my favorite organizations is International Bridges to Justice, a highly innovative, efficient, and effective organization that has a clear…
First of all, more than six years after the International Criminal Court (ICC) opened, the ICC is holding it’s first trial ever: Thomas Lubanga, 48, a Congo militia leader wanted for his war crimes. He was the president of the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC), “a military group purporting to further the interests of the…
Obama hasn’t even been President for two days, and he’s already changing the country, giving America a new face. A kinder and more benevolent face – one that says we are fair, just, and honest. He’s begun his presidency with something most human rights activists hoped for with their fists clenched and their breath ragged….
Although I read this article months ago, it still keeps haunting me and lurking around in the back of my mind. Shockingly, “public defenders’ offices in at least seven states are refusing to take on new cases or have sued to limit them” due to overwhelming workloads. It is no secret that the U.S. criminal…
So yes – I’m jumping on the election bandwagon too. To be honest I rarely state my opinions – in public – because I am quite afraid of being shot down by someone more experienced and knowledgeable than me. I dislike debate and argument and prefer to remain meek and silent. But it seems a…