International Justice

On-going cases:

• Human rights groups intervene in historic class action for lead poisoning launched by Zambian children and women.
• The Prosecutor v Dominic Ongwen: Joint amicus curiae submission by SALC and Prof. Bonita Meyersfeld.
• South African arms trade case: Human rights orgaisations ask the courts to review decisions to export arms to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
• South Africa: Facilitate the prosecution of persons accused of crimes committed during Apartheid (Simelane)
• Revocation of visa to a convicted Dutch War Criminal: Augustinus Maria Kouwenhoven

Completed cases:

• Joao Rodrigues v National Director of Public Prosecutions & Others (Timol Case)
• South Africa: The State vs Henri Emomitimi Okah
• South Africa: Amicus curiae in Law Society of South Africa case challenging SA’s signing of new SADC Tribunal protocol
• South Africa/Zimbabwe: Case challenging NPA’s refusal to investigate cases of torture committed in Zimbabwe
• South Africa/Rwanda: Judicial review of decision by South Africa to grant refugee status to former Rwanda general accused of war crimes
• South Africa/Sudan: Case challenging the State’s failure to implement the ICC arrest warrant for Sudanese President Al Bashir
• South Africa/Sudan: Amicus curiae in ICC cooperation hearing on South Africa’s failure to arrest Sudanese President Al Bashir
• South Africa: Case challenging South Africa’s withdrawal from the ICC without parliamentary approval
• South Africa/Jordan: Application as amicus curiae in respect of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s failure to cooperate with the ICC to arrest President Al Bashir

Publications:

• Policy brief: ICC witnesses and the review of the Rome statute: The missing link (2020).

Advocacy:

• South Africa: A safe haven for perpetrators of international crimes? (2021)
• Back to old habits? South African arms exports to Saudi Arabia and the UAE (2021).
• South Africa: The recently renewed NPA should show its teeth (2021).
• Namibia and blanket amnesties: Challenging the Namibian blanket amnesties on the basis of international law in the Namibian courts (2020).
• João Rodrigues, apartheid-era crimes and the question of a blanket amnesty (2020).
• Good news as South Africa affirms its commitment to accountability for international crimes (2020).
• Torture in Zimbabwe (2020).
• Universal jurisdiction-a useful tool for prosecuting international crimes: Comparing the use of universal jurisdiction in Germany and South Africa (2020).
• Why is South Africa providing a haven for an arms dealer convicted of war crimes? (2020).
• South Africa, apartheid, crimes against humanity and the rule of law: Quo Vadis? (2020)
• SALC in the news: Demands for toppled Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir to face prosecution (2020).
• Prosecuting apartheid  atrocities-Why an indictment for a single murder in the Ahmed Timol case not enough (2019).
• SALC in the news: Two court disputes test SAL commitment to rule of law (2018).
• SALC commemorates 20 years of the Rome statute (2018).
• SALC in the news: Access to justice in Africa – The fight for an effective SADC Tribunal (2018).
• South African government should reconsider intention to withdraw from the ICC (2017).
• SALC in the news: Why Kenya’s terrorist attack might be the ICC’s saving grace (2017).
• SALC in the news: ICC withdrawal not a wise move for SA (2017).
• SALC in the news: No surprises with ICC’s finding against South Africa (2017).
• The price of shunning the ICC (2017).
• Why ICC should refer South Africa to the UN security council (2017).
• South Africa risks exchanging one flawed system for another if it leaves ICC (2017).
• ICC exit: It’s the ordinary people who will suffer (2016).
• An apartheid murder reckoning (Part III) PW botha’s ‘realm of criminality’, legal costs and Nokuthula Simelane (2016).
• SALC in the news: International justice – the good, the bad and the ugly (2016).
• Confidentiality under the refugees Act: A shield for suspected perpetrators of grave crimes (2014).
• Angola: Presidential move denies justice for two men abducted and killed by State agents (2014).
• The alien tort statute lives – corporate complicity in acts of torture in Iran challenged in a US court (2014).
• After 12 years of existence – where does the International Criminal Court stand? (2014).
• The African Union endorses impunity (2014).
• Human dignity, religion and homophobia (2014).
• Understanding the Zimbabwe torture case (2014).
• Supreme Court of Appeal judgment in Zimbabwe torture case: A victory for local and international criminal justice (2013).
• Discussing positive reinforcement: Advocating for international criminal justice in Africa (2013).
• SALC in the news: SA judgments ‘do not apply in Zimbabwe’ (2013).
• SALC in the news: South African court orders probe into Zimbabwe (2013).
• SALC in the news: Appeals Court to rule in Zim torture case (2013).
• SALC in the news: ICC: Africa should reject ‘free pass’ for leaders (2013).
• SALC in the news: Reach of Rome stature to head back to Appeal Court (2013).
• SALC letter to South African government – supporting the fight against impunity and encouraging international accountability (2013).
• SALC in the news: South Africa causes blushes in handling of policy on Syria (2013).
• International criminal justice in 2013, a year of ups and downs (2013).
• Kenyan parliamentary motion passed – abandoning the Rome statute (2013).
• When it comes to hate speech, will the Zimbabwean constitution hold sway? (2013)
• Constitutional Court’s SADC decision, a win for international law (2013).
• SALC in the news: Positive reinforcement – advocating for international criminal justice in Africa (2013).
• SALC in the news: AU, ICC leaders must find consensus on Kenya warrants (2013).
• Confidentiality in a constitutional democracy – a fine line between disclosure and deference (2013).
• SALC in the news: Africa: Civil society’s role in international criminal law (2013).
• Zimbabwean cases in South Africa’s court rooms (2013).
• A helping hand: Southern Africa and extraordinary renditions (2013).
• Not so much a surprise that the SADC tribunal was disbanded but that it was formed at all (2013).
• Ghost of the SADC tribunal haunts Zimbabwe in South Africa’s Constitutional Court (2013).
• SALC in the news: South Africa must come clean on extralegal renditions (2013).
• Investigations into international crime: An inconvinience for high-level accused (2013).
• Diplomatic impunity – why suspected war criminals should not be diplomats (2012).
• International criminal justice in 2012 – a year of highs, lows and raised eye brows (2012).
• Q&A Cormsa v President of the Republic of South Africa and Others – everything you need to know about the Nyamwasa case (2012).
• Commission of enquiry in Malawi declares student activist’s death murder (2012).
• AU summit: Malawi stands with Darfur victims – government won’t host summit if Al-Bashir attends (2012).
• Al-Bashir and the Malawi AU summit – will President Banda stand her ground? (2012).
• Analysis of SALC’s Zimbabwe torture case – universal jurisdiction in action (2012).
• Zimbabwe torture case: Day three hearing (2012).
• Zimbabwe torture case: Day two hearing (2012).
• Zimbabwe torture case: Day one hearing (2012).
• Cormsa v President of South Africa & Others: Court diary (2012).
• SALC in the news: HIV+ women forcibly sterilised (2012).
• SALC in the news: Celebrity saviours or amateurs activists? (2012).
• The Zimbabwe torture docket and SA’s ICC Act: Q&A about the case (2012).
• Democratic republic of the Congo: Warlord in firing line as ICC prepares to deliver first ruling (2012).
• SALC in the news: CEOs may wind up in dock over war crimes (2012).
• SALC in the news: Police, NPA to appeal ruling in torture case (2012).
• SALC in the news: Why countries ignore ICC (2011).
• SALC in the news: The tenth ICC session: More pro-African? (2021)
• SALC in the news: Obiang visit ‘further blow’ to SA’s battered rights reputation (2011).
• Non-compliance with Rome statute obligations becoming common place – Al-Bashir in Chad …. again (2011).
• SALC in the news: A diplomatic dilemma (2011).
• SALC in the news: Mugabe in Rome shows up Vatican hypocrisy (2011).
• SALC in the news: On Libya, SA has done both good and well (2011).
• A human rights court for Africa (2011).
• Gaddafi to be investigated for crimes against humanity (2011).
• Will SA use its second UN term better? (2010).
• No good reason to protect Rwandan fugitive (2010).
• Draft UN report – paving way for justice in the DRC (2010).
• An ironic invitation – Al-Bashir celebrates Kenya’s new constitution …. in Kenya (2010).
• SALC in the news: Botswana’s position is disappointing (2010).
• SALC in the news: Scant room to scoff at model’s stupidity (2010).
• Gaza docket: SA must tighten policies on international criminal justice (2009).
• SALC in the news: The bloody repercussions of the AU’s support for Al-Bashir (2009).
• Business Day online – Neighbour who got in the way (2008).