Resources
Sunday, June 26, 2022
  • Login
Journalists for Justice
No Result
View All Result

Browse by Topic:

  • Home
  • Communities of Justice
  • Opinion & Analysis
  • Human Rights
  • Elections
  • About US
  • Our Work
  • Careers
No Result
View All Result
Journalists for Justice
  • Home
  • Communities of Justice
  • Opinion & Analysis
  • Human Rights
  • Elections
  • About US
  • Our Work
  • Careers
No Result
View All Result
Journalists for Justice
No Result
View All Result
Home ICC Cases Africa Cases

Bensouda: We’ll keep a watchful eye on Gambia’s truth process

Journalists For JusticebyJournalists For Justice
October 17, 2018
in Africa Cases, Domestic Court Cases, ICC Cases
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Amadou Jallow

Gambia’s truth-seeking process kicked off this week with the swearing in of 11 commissioners as the International Criminal Court pledged to keep a watchful eye on the examination of human rights abuses during the 22-year tenure of former dictator Yahya Jammeh.

Fatou Bensouda, the Gambian born Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), reminded authorities that as the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission begins operations, she would be keeping a watchful eye on the process. Although truth commissions are not part of the mandate of the ICC, they have a nexus with Rome Statute crimes such as genocide and systematic crimes against humanity committed as part of state or organizational policy such as murder, torture, rape, displacement of populations

Bensouda was among several dignitaries who were on hand to witness President Adama Barrow preside over the swearing-in TRRC commissioners and the inauguration of the truth-seeking process at Kairaba Hotel in Kanifing, the country’s most populated municipality.

“My office will be following the developments [at] the commission with great interest. ICC is prepared to undertake its independent and impartial mandate under the Rome statue with conviction and dedication as it does in all situations where we have jurisdiction with full respect for the principles of complementarity,” Bensouda said.

RelatedStories

Gicheru witness tampering trial starts before the ICC

Trial Chamber VI to hear Said Abdel Kani case

Court turns down bid to introduce elusive witness’s testimony, but allows four other statements

She said those responsible for serious criminal acts during the Jammeh regime must face justice in a properly constituted court of law that abides by and applies the highest standards of judicial administration. 

“When confronted with atrocity crimes that shock the consent of humanity, there is no justifiable reason to look the other way or to entertain immunities,” she said. 

The truth process could be a likely first step in seeking accountability for violations that occurred in the 22 years that Jammeh was in power. Jammeh presided over an authoritarian regime that was marked by widespread human rights violations. For decades, there were no effective investigations into violations and perpetrators have not been brought to justice. The National Assembly passed the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRC) Act on December 13, 2017, and the President assented to it on January 13, 2018. It is lining up a few witnesses to commence public hearings soon after the launch event. The secretariat says it would soon announce the exact commencement date.

The truth commission is one of President Barrow’s foremost commitments since his coalition came to power following Jammeh’s defeat in the December 2016 elections.

Bensouda’s presence at this week’s launch was itself a remarkable statement of how much things have changed in the Gambia. Jammeh had made tentative steps to pull the Gambia out of the Rome Statute, the ICC’s founding treaty. Shortly after taking power in early 2017, President Barrow recommitted Gambia to the ICC.

It is a testament of how close-knit Gambian society is that Bensouda once served as Attorney General and Justice minister under Jammeh before resigning in 2000 on principle. 

This piece was originally published by The Point Newspaper and is republished here as part of our ongoing partnership on reporting on the transitional justice process in The Gambia.

Find out more here: https://www.jfjustice.net/about-us/point-signs-agreement-to-raise-reporting-standards-for-truth-process

Previous Post

Witness speaks of his arrest by Museveni’s rebel forces

Next Post

Manoba and Cox: Having someone listen to their bad experiences has helped victims recover

Journalists For Justice

Journalists For Justice

Related Posts

Kenyan lawyer Paul Gicheru at the opening of his trial at the International Criminal Court on February 15, 2022. Photo credit: @ICC-CPI

Gicheru witness tampering trial starts before the ICC

February 16, 2022
Mr Said during the opening of the confirmation of charges hearing at the seat of the Court in The Hague (The Netherlands) on 12 October 2021 ©ICC-CPI

Trial Chamber VI to hear Said Abdel Kani case

December 20, 2021
Paul Gicheru appearing before the ICC via video-link from the ICC Detention Centre on 6 November 2020. Photo credit: ICC-CPI

Court turns down bid to introduce elusive witness’s testimony, but allows four other statements

December 17, 2021
Special Criminal Court Arrests CAR Minister Bouba for War Crimes. Photo: News Central TV

Pressure mounts for CAR minister to face justice

December 2, 2021
ICC Trial Chamber VIII declares Mr Al Mahdi guilty of the war crime of attacking historic and religious buildings in Timbuktu and sentences him to nine years' imprisonment. Photo credit: @ICC-CPI

Al Mahdi to be released early after ICC cuts sentence by two years

December 1, 2021
Dominic Ongwen's appeal hearing coming up in February 2022. Photo credit: @ICC-CPI.

Ongwen’s appeal hearing to start in February 2022

November 26, 2021
Next Post

Manoba and Cox: Having someone listen to their bad experiences has helped victims recover

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Login
Notify of
Please login to comment
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
No Result
View All Result

Recent Posts

  • From Kyiv to Kabul and Darfur: Challenges of reporting justice and human rights
  • Gicheru to attend court session remotely
  • After euphoria of state white paper, victims now demand action on Jammeh
  • Right the Wrongs: Spotlight on the 2020 General Election in Tanzania
  • Selective approach to TRRC recommendations a sure recipe for defeating justice

Recent Comments

  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on Kenyan lawyer denies bribery charges at the ICC
  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on You did me wrong, Bemba tells ICC as he demands 70 million euros
  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on Two victims’ lawyers in Kenyatta case in line to become next ICC prosecutor
  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on Profiles of the four people shortlisted for the job of ICC Prosecutor
  • Write My Essay on Afghanistan case fails to take off at the ICC — pragmatism’ or surrender to the powerful?

Archives

Categories

JFJ – Journalists for Justice

We call out impunity wherever it occurs; we advocate justice for all victims of atrocity crimes; and we work with people of goodwill everywhere who share our values.

Browse by Topics:

Archives by Month:

Never Again
INTAHE
BarometreVerite
The Victims' Bantaba
No Result
View All Result
  • Confronting Impunity
  • Communities of Justice
  • Opinion
  • About US
  • Our Work
  • Login

Copyright © 2019. Journalists for Justice has asserted its right to be recognized as creators and owners of the content here. Reproduction in part or in whole is permitted on condition that JFJ is acknowledged and notified.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
wpDiscuz