Seeking accountability for international crimes and grave human rights violations by challenging decisions that enable impunity, enforcing international law and by strengthening corporate accountability.
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Ongoing Cases
South Africa / Zambia: Amicus in class action on lead poisoning by Anglo America in Zambia
On 9 May 2022, Amnesty International and the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) have applied to intervene in an unprecedented class action lawsuit. The case was brought by a group…
South African Arms Trade case: Human Rights organisations ask the Courts to review decisions to export arms to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
On 3 June 2021, the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) and Open Secrets launched an urgent two-part application in the North Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) seeking: The names of all…
Completed Cases
ICC: The Prosecutor v Dominic Ongwen: Joint amicus curiae submission by SALC and Prof. Bonita Meyersfeld
In the seminal case of The Prosecutor v Dominic Ongwen before the International Criminal Court (ICC), SALC and Prof. Bonita Meyersfeld have been admitted as amicus curiae. Dominic Ongwen (Mr.…
South Africa: Revocation of visa to a convicted Dutch war criminal: Augustinus Maria Kouwenhoven
The Southern Africa Litigation Centre has filed an application requesting the Western Cape High Court to cancel the visa of convicted arms trafficker and war criminal Augustinus Maria Kouwenhoven. Kouwenhoven…
South Africa: Joao Rodrigues v National Director of Public Prosecutions and Others (Timol case)
On 28 and 29 March 2019, the High Court in Pretoria will hear the criminal case of Rodrigues v National Director of Public Prosecutions (case number: 76755/18). Joao Rodrigues (“the…
South Africa: Amicus curiae in Law Society of South Africa case challenging SA signing of new SADC Tribunal protocol
SALC was admitted as amicus curiae in the matter of the Law Society of South Africa and others vs the President and Others. At the hearing SALC made submissions pertaining to relevant international and…
Articles
Cosas 4: Naming the elephant in the room – the crime of apartheid
Mail & Guadian 16 April 2025 Atilla Kisla Years from now, Monday, 14 April 2025, will be recited as a major step in the prosecution of apartheid-era crimes. For the…
SA’s arms exports to UAE, a state accused of violating genocide convention
Mail&Guadian Atilla Kisla 12 March 2025 On 6 March 2025, Sudan initiated proceedings against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for violations of the Genocide Convention.…
Resources
2019-2021 Biennial report
SALC's biennial report captures activities for March 2019 to February 2021. Read the report here.
SALC policy brief on ICC witnesses and the review of the Rome Statute: The missing link
The Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court resolved in December 2019 to establish the Independent Expert Review to identify ways of strengthening…
Universal Jurisdiction – a useful tool for prosecuting international crimes: Comparing the use of universal jurisdiction in Germany and South Africa
The Polity 07 May 2020 By Atilla Kisla Germany is prosecuting former Syrian state security members for crimes against humanity committed in Syria: What is the current status of the…
