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.
Open Society Justice Initiative v. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) et al.
The Justice Initiative seeks the public release by U.S. government agencies of all documents related to the brutal murder in Istanbul of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi Arabian dissident writer and editor, and a U.S. permanent resident.
Last update: February 17, 2021German 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, 2019Mhlungwana v. the State and the Minister of Police
Protestors successfully argued that it was unconstitutional for South African law to make the failure to give prior notice of a demonstration a crime.
Last update: April 18, 2017Coalition on Violence Against Women and Others v. the Attorney-General of Kenya and Others
A group of Kenyan civil society organizations and victims of sexual and gender-based violence have brought a case to the Nairobi High Court against six Kenyan government officials demanding accountability.
Last update: February 20, 2013Citizens Against Violence and Others v. the Attorney General of Kenya and Others
More than 400 Kenyans were shot dead by police during the post-election violence in Kenya in early 2008. Victims have brought a class action constitutional case demanding accountability for the killings.
Last update: February 13, 2013The Prosecutor v. Nahimana et al.
The Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) convicted the accused of incitement to commit genocide, but in so doing blurred the distinction between hate speech and international crimes.
Last update: November 28, 2007