The ICC has been criticised for not acting against South Africa after it failed to arrest Sudan’s president in 2015. But, the court actually acted sensibly given the challenges it faces.
Arguably Africa’s most powerful diplomatic player, South Africa is now backing out of the world’s most important mechanism for bringing war criminals to justice.
The South African government’s decision to withdraw from the ICC should not be seen in isolation. The African Union has called on its member states to withdraw from the court.
The trial of Chad’s former dictator could provide a template for prosecutions of other African despots. Its success could be seen as a victory for African justice over international approaches.
Selective sympathy raises troubling questions. If you neglect suffering in other places, it is much more difficult to mobilise political actors to take it seriously.
South Africa’s withdrawal from the ICC could have mere symbolic value. The country will continue to have obligations to binding decisions taken by the UN Security Council – including those pertaining to the court.
Omar al-Bashir’s planned trip to New York to address a summit on sustainable development at the UN General Assembly involves considerable reputational risk for the US.
Former Chadian President Hissène Habré’s disruption of his trial, questioning its authority over him, is a tried and tested defence strategy used by revolutionaries and rulers for eons.
Australia’s human rights record isn’t perfect, but it still good. if Australians aren’t able to take some pride in that and be inspired to do even better, over-the-top criticism could backfire.
Justice for victims and an end to impunity for international crimes was what the the International Criminal Court (ICC) was established to do achieve. While the court has over ten years of experience…
The first appearance of a head of state at the International Criminal Court at The Hague yesterday was a landmark event. But instead of getting any closer to the truth about who was behind violence that…
Co-Director, Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention, and Professor of Public Administration, Binghamton University, State University of New York