With momentum building and global support on the rise, a draft treaty on crimes against humanity stands as a beacon of progress in international law. Led by a coalition of nations and backed by international civil society organizations, this treaty holds promise for enhancing accountability and prioritizing the rights of victims of profound injustices around [...]
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Explainer Part II: The Israel-Hamas War and the International Court of Justice
The ongoing conflict engulfing Israel and Palestine continues to raise significant issues of international law and policy. My earlier contribution focused on the jurisdiction and substantive law of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Here I address the ongoing litigation before the International Court of Justice (ICJ or Court). Because the crime of genocide can be [...]
Gambia lawmakers refer bill reversing 2015 female genital mutilation ban to national committee
Gambian lawmakers referred a bill attempting to reverse the Women’s (Amendment) Act, 2015 to the national committee for further consultation on Monday. The Women’s (Amendment) Act, 2015 bans female genital mutilation (FGM). Local activists gathered outside the National Assembly of The Gambia on Monday with protest signs to boycott the bill. FGM is a practice [...]
Is Canada’s Decision to Suspend UNRWA Funding a Failure in Its Duty to Prevent Genocide?
In January, reports emerged alleging the involvement of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) employees in the October 7, 2023 attack conducted by Hamas. Reacting to it, several state parties, including Canada, suspended funding to UNRWA, an institution that is considered a vital lifeline in Gaza. Ahmed [...]
Explainer: The Israel-Hamas War and the International Criminal Court
The current conflict engulfing Israel and Palestine raises significant issues of international law and policy. This is part one in an anticipated two-part series that will discuss some of the relevant legal questions before the International Criminal Court (ICC; Part I) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ; Part II). With both courts located in [...]
Former Gambia government minister faces trial in Switzerland for crimes against humanity
TRIAL International informed on Thursday that Ousman Sonko, a former Gambian Minister of Interior, will be tried by the Swiss Federal Criminal Court (FCC) in Bellinzona on January 8, 2024, and the trial will last till January 30. The former minister will be tried for crimes against humanity committed by him under ousted Gambian dictator Yahya [...]
German court sentences Gambia man to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity
A German court handed down a life imprisonment sentence to Gambian national Bai Lowe on Thursday after he was found guilty of crimes against humanity, murder and attempted murder for his actions with a death squad known as the Junglers, notorious for targeting adversaries of former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh. The squad’s victims even included [...]
Gambia soldier sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for leading foiled coup
Justice Basirou Mahoney of the Gambia High Court handed down a 12-year prison sentence to Private Sanna Fadera, a soldier found guilty of orchestrating a foiled coup attempt against President Adama Barrow’s administration Tuesday. The coup attempt was executed late last year. Fadera was charged with leading the failed coup along with eight other soldiers [...]
'Widespread democratic backsliding' an obstacle to African governance, report finds
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation (MIF) Wednesday released its 2022 Index of African Governance, noting that governance across the African continent has “flatlined” since 2019. The report cited deteriorating security and movements to undermine the rule of law as reasons for the stagnation, and warned the lack of progress could seriously jeopardize the African Union’s Agenda [...]
The Gambia authorities arrest four soldiers amid failed military coup
The Gambian government Wednesday announced that they have foiled an attempted coup by soldiers within the Gambian army. The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) have arrested four soldiers involved in the attempt to overthrow democratically elected President Adama Barrow. The arrested soldiers are reportedly “helping” authorities in further “investigations” concerning the attempted coup. The statement named [...]