The conflicts and crises raging across the globe today in Darfur, Gaza, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ukraine demonstrate how impunity fuels cycles of violence. As the world confronts these emergencies, it is crucial that impartial and independent justice is delivered to victims of grave international crimes, regardless of where they are committed or by whom.
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| “The conflicts and crises raging across the globe today in Darfur, Gaza, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ukraine demonstrate how impunity fuels cycles of violence” – HRW. Photo: @hrw |
The Day of International Criminal Justice on July 17 marks the anniversary of the adoption of the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The drive for global justice faces an important test. While different pathways to accountability flourish, justice remains under threat from those who fear accountability and their allies.
Since January 2024, the ICC has issued four public arrest warrants in its Ukraine investigation, unsealed a 2017 warrant in its Mali investigation, and the prosecutor’s request for warrants against three Hamas leaders and two high-level Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is pending.
The principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows national authorities to prosecute suspects of grave crimes regardless of nationality or where the crimes were committed, continues to gain traction in Europe, where most such cases have been brought, and beyond, including new efforts in Argentina and the United States.
Other countries have taken important steps toward credible national justice. In Liberia, efforts are underway to establish a war crimes court, and a verdict is pending in Guinea’s landmark trial on the 2009 stadium massacre.
