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.
Criminal Complaint for Saudi Crimes Against Humanity in Belgium
The Justice Initiative filed a complaint of crimes against humanity with the Belgian federal prosecutor under universal jurisdiction on behalf of Alia and Lina al-Hathloul for grave crimes committed against their sister Loujain al-Hathloul by the Saudi regime.
Open Society Justice Initiative v. Telekom Austria
The Justice Initiative has filed a complaint against Telekom Austria, the parent company of A1 Belarus, which sporadically shut off access to their mobile internet networks in Belarus in the aftermath of the country’s disputed 2020 presidential elections.
Open Society European Policy Institute v. Bulgaria
The Open Society Foundations' collective complaint alleges that the Bulgarian government violated the European Social Charter for failing to prioritize persons over 65 years old and individuals with underlying conditions in its domestic COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
Stopping Abusive Lending Practices in the EU
In response to the prevalence of predatory lending in the EU, the Justice Initiative supported domestic case building to compel states to enforce human rights protections to stop these abusive practices.
Hanan v. Germany
In 2016, Abdul Hanan, the father of the two boys killed in a German airstrike in Afghanistan, filed a complaint before the European Court for Human Rights alleging that Germany had not conducted an effective investigation into the attack.
APDHE v. Obiang Family
This case before a Spanish court involves massive sums of money allegedly diverted by the President of Equatorial Guinea to buy property in Spain and the Canary Islands for his family.
Last update: September 07, 2021Class Action Lawsuit against French Government for Ethnic Profiling by Police
The Justice Initiative, along with partner NGOs, filed the first class action lawsuit in France to end ethnic profiling by police, who disproportionately target people based on their skin color or presumed ethnic origin.
Swedish Criminal Investigation of Chemical Weapons Attacks In Syria
On April 19, 2021, the Open Society Justice Initiative joined survivors of chemical weapons attacks in Syria, the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), Syrian Archive, and Civil Rights Defenders in filing a criminal complaint with Swedish War Crimes Commission within the Swedish Police Authority.