I am an international Human Rights Lawyer and have been teaching two classes at Sciences Po Paris: a class called Victims’ Rights, International Criminal Law & proceedings for the last 6 years and for the last two years International Criminal Law at the Law School.

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Working on victims’ rights and international justice issues for 20 years I realized that there were no publications strictly devoted to the specific issues of victims of international crimes. This blog gathers the work of some of my students.

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Victims’ Rights Law in the International Justice system are a relatively new but fascinating field. How can thousands or millions of victims claim their right to truth, justice and reparation? What are the legal representation schemes that exist? What kind of protection can they request when testifying or participating in such cases may put their physical integrity in danger?

 

Can reparation be meaningful when the crimes committed are so atrocious that no traditional financial compensation may ever repair their physical, psychological and material prejudice?

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Looking at international Justice through the prism of victims offers a fascinating journey through the Nuremberg tribunal, the ad hoc tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, the International Criminal Court, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, the Special Court for Lebanon as well as less documented initiatives like the Extraordinary Chambers in the courts of Senegal investigating into the former Chadian head of State Hissene Habré and the principle of extra territorial jurisdiction.

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Contact jeanne.sulzer@sciencespo.fr