Litigation
Justice Initiative lawyers have represented scores of individuals and groups before domestic and international human rights courts and tribunals around the world. These cases seek not only to vindicate individual claims, but to establish and strengthen the law’s protection for all.
German Criminal Investigation into Chemical Weapons Attacks in Syria
The Justice Initiative has joined with Syrian groups in filing the first criminal complaint against Syrian government officials for the 2013 and 2017 chemical weapons attacks in Ghouta and Khan Shaykhun. The complaint was filed before the Office of the German Federal Prosecutor.
Federal Prosecutor's Office v. Anwar R.
Anwar R., a former Syrian colonel who led a unit of Syria's General Intelligence Directorate, has been accused of supervising the “systematic and brutal torture” of more than 4,000 prisoners in a detention center known as Al Khatib, or Branch 251, resulting in the deaths of at least 58 people.
Last update: December 03, 2019Y, T & A v. Berlin Education Authority
The Justice Initiative supported the development of a case brought by three pupils of migrant background challenging the discriminatory treatment growing out of educational reforms adopted by Berlin.
Last update: January 26, 2015Expelled Dominicans and Haitians v. Dominican Republic
Mass expulsions from the Dominican Republic of people of Haitian descent breached the duty to prevent statelessness.
Last update: October 22, 2014German Headscarves Ban
In 2006, several regional governments in Germany adopted laws supposedly to maintain neutrality and peace in the school, but which amount to discrimination against Muslim teachers on grounds of religion.
Last update: March 05, 2012Bueno v. Dominican Republic
This case is about statelessness in the Dominican Republic. It focuses on a Dominican man who was denied identity documents because he was of Haitian descent.
Last update: June 01, 2010Yean and Bosico v. Dominican Republic
This is a case brought by two Dominican girls of Haitian descent who were denied Dominican nationality in spite of the fact that both were born in the country, which should legally entitle them to citizenship.
Last update: July 01, 2009Fadia v. Diakonisches Werk Hamburg
This case is about a woman in Germany whose job application was rejected because she refused to convert to Christianity. She challenged the rejection as religious discrimination.
Last update: June 01, 2009