In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the fight against impunity continues

Access to justice is more crucial than ever to ease the existing tensions in the North and South Kivu provinces of the DR Congo, which have been torn apart by violence for decades. On 21 and 23 May 2019, ASF, RCN Justice & Démocratie and TRIAL International launched a shared project to fight impunity in…

The acquittal of Jean-Pierre Bemba: lessons must be learned

The acquittal on appeal of Jean-Pierre Bemba by the International Criminal Court leaves several thousand victims in the Central African Republic without no proper response to the extreme violence committed against them during the armed conflict.

Victims’ legal representation raised at the 16th Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute

Last week at the Sixteenth Session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, ASF and REDRESS co-organised a parallel event on the legal representation of victims before the International Criminal Court, the International Crimes Division in Uganda, and the Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic.

Special Criminal Court in CAR: what role should victims play in procedures?

In early October, alongside other civil society actors, both international and from the Central African Republic, ASF took part in a workshop to discuss the Rules of Procedure and Evidence Project for the Special Criminal Court. This was an opportunity to highlight the importance of respecting the rights of victims in relation to representation, participation,…

ASF support provided to the International Crimes Division in Uganda

Since 2012, ASF has been supporting the International Crimes Division (ICD) in Uganda. The ICD is a domestic court that was created as part of the government’s efforts to implement the Juba Peace Agreement. It is within the ICD’s jurisdiction to try serious offences such as war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Given Uganda’s…

Belgian Ministry for Development earmarks funding for access to justice

Excellent news: ASF has just been granted significant funding for five years by the Belgian DGD (Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid). This aid will be used for projects supporting justice in five countries: Burundi, Indonesia, Morocco, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This also represents ASF’s first project in Indonesia.

ASF in DR Congo: 15 years of commitment

ASF has come a long way since it started up its activities in Congo 15 years ago. Its aim, from the very beginning, has been to ensure that people become more aware of their rights and can enforce them. We opened our first office in Kinshasa on 12 March 2002. Since then, we’ve developed a…

Opening of Ongwen’s trial before the ICC: making justice accessible to victims in Uganda

While former LRA rebel Dominic Ongwen is facing justice before the ICC, ASF recalls the importance of bringing justice closer to the affected communities. The NGO supports the organisation of live screenings of the opening of Ongwen’s trial and encourages national authorities to increase their support to make justice accessible for all.

Central African Republic: Support the Special Criminal Court

Donor countries should support the Central African Republic’s Special Criminal Court, 17 Central African and international human rights non-governmental organizations say in a declaration. The donors should provide technical, financial, and political support for the court and its mandate to end impunity for crimes under international law, the groups said. On 17 November, the European…

When will the Special Criminal Court for Central African Republic be up and running?

ASF, in collaboration with the non-governmental organisation, REDRESS, supports the setting up of a Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic. A workshop that brought together civil society, legal and international players has drawn uprecommendations for the next stages of establishing this Court. The stakes are crucial: to launch trials for serious crimes and…

Category: International justice