For many years, the International Criminal Court (ICC) was pilloried with allegations that it was biased against African states and unfairly targeted African leaders. The charges were severe and rife. They came from journalists, academics and state leaders \u2013 some of whom, it should be stressed, were more worried about their own alleged involvement in atrocities than the impartiality of the Court.
\nGreater equality in the global distribution of accountability for international crimes \u2013 war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide \u2013 is desperately needed. It commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. It is also a useful moment to reflect on just how \u201cinternational\u201d international justice actually is.
\nAccountability for mass atrocities is far from evenly distributed. To paraphrase the former US Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues, Stephen Rapp, when it comes to international crimes, there is only some justice in some places for some people some of the time. It was just last month that the ICC finally issued warrants for non-African nationals, citizens of the Russian-backed territory of South Ossetia; they are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 2008 war in Georgia.
\nThe ICC has only investigated a handful of situations and prosecuted even fewer. Part of that is because the Court is limited in its resources and reach. For years, states have nickeled-and-dimed the institution and limited its budget. In response to alleged government crimes being investigated by the ICC, some states, like Burundi and the Philippines, have frustrated the ICC\u2019s ability to investigate crimes by withdrawing their membership from the Court. Others, including the United States, have waged sophisticated campaigns to undermine the institution\u2019s standing and authority.
\nIn this context, the recent commitment of the Court and many of its member states to investigate and prosecute those responsible for mass atrocities following the Russian invasion of Ukraine is welcome. Numerous capitals have offered not only unprecedented financial support in the form of voluntary donations, but also their own investigators to help the ICC in its probe. Never before in the Court\u2019s history has it enjoyed such tangible support. Even Washington has spoken positively of the ICC\u2019s role in addressing atrocities in Ukraine.
\nThe focus on the situation in Ukraine and, in particular, perpetrators from Russia may have the effect of undermining the narrative that the ICC is singularly focused on Africa. At the same time, the Court\u2019s welcome attention on atrocities committed in Ukraine should not distract it from contributing to justice efforts on the African continent in a manner that respects the efforts of African states to address their own atrocities and is sensitive to local contexts. It can do so by pursuing accountability itself or by working with partners to galvanise states to do the hard work of holding perpetrators to account in their own courts.
\nVictims and survivors of atrocities in Africa should also benefit from the advances and lessons learned in pursuing accountability in Ukraine. That includes the novel use of digital forensic investigations to catalogue and trace atrocities, the speedy domestic prosecution of international crimes by national authorities, and efforts aimed at avoiding the duplication of investigation efforts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For many years, the International Criminal Court (ICC) was pilloried with allegations that it was biased against African states and unfairly targeted African leaders. The charges were severe and rife. They came from journalists, academics and state leaders \u2013 some of whom, it should be stressed, were more worried about their own alleged involvement in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[627,9740],"class_list":{"0":"post-272616","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-editorial","7":"tag-icc","8":"tag-war-crime"},"yoast_head":"\n