ISS Seminar: International Criminal Justice Developments in Africa: Prospects and Challenges for African Peace and Security Architecture

Date: 2008-09-30 to Invalid date

ISS Seminar: International Criminal Justice Developments in Africa: Prospects and Challenges for African Peace and Security Architecture
Pretoria, 30 September 2008

 

The seminar is organised under the auspices of the ISS Training for Peace in Africa Programme and the ISS International Crime in Africa Programme

 

Various criminal tribunals have been created in the past 15 years, including the International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda in 1993 and 1994 respectively, and the ‘hybrid’ courts for Cambodia and Sierra Leone. Together with the establishment of the permanent International Criminal Court (ICC) in 1998, which has jurisdiction to prosecute the most serious crimes of concern to the international community, these institutions have contributed towards the development of an emerging international criminal justice architecture.

 

Africa has been at the forefront of these developments. Currently four of the ICC’s investigations are on the continent, three of which were referred by African countries themselves, and one by the UN Security Council. In this regard, four suspects are in the ICC’s custody in The Hague. The Prosecutor of the Court has also recently issued a controversial indictment of the current Sudanese President, Omar al Bashir. This indictment has re-ignited the ongoing debate about the role of international criminal justice in broader peace efforts, including its role in deterring future perpetrators and delivering justice to victims.

 

The seminar seeks to explore the prospects of the emerging international criminal justice architecture and its role in enhancing the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA). The seminar will consider what opportunities and prospects the emerging international criminal justice architecture, including the ICC, offers Africa in its search for sustainable peace, development and democratic governance.

 

Speakers: Charles Jalloh, currently Associate Legal Officer, UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda; formerly Legal Advisor/Duty Counsel in the Office of the Principal Defender, Special Court for Sierra Leone and Legal Counsel, Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Section, Canadian Department of Justice.

 

Respondents: Festus B Aboagye, Head, Training for Peace in Africa Programme, ISS
Godfrey M Musila, Senior Researcher, International Crime in Africa Programme, ISS

 

Date: Tuesday 30 September 2008
Time: 09h30 – 12h00 (preceded by tea; finger lunch after seminar)
Venue: ISS Conference Room, Block C, Brooklyn Court, Veale Street, New Muckleneuck
(Parking at Brooklyn Mall and ABSA Court)

 

RSVP: Ms Pertunia Mothiba; E-mail: [email protected]; Tel: (012) 346-9500; Fax: (012) 460-0997 / 8

 

Seminar Documentation