SALC’s International Criminal Justice programme has the following objectives:

• To raise regional awareness about the domestication of the ICC Convention and to promote accountability for crimes against humanity at domestic levels through strategic litigation.
• To improve understanding of the ICC and its mandate whilst supporting domestic and regional accountability mechanisms.
• To litigate at domestic levels to establish jurisprudence on universal jurisdiction.
• To litigate at domestic levels against corporate complicity in violations of international law and human rights.

On-going cases:

South Africa: Ahmed Timol case (Rodrigues v NDPP and Others)

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

South Africa: Facilitate the prosecution of persons accused of crimes committed during Apartheid (Simelane)

Precedent cases:

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