U.S. Senate Hears Open Society Justice Initiative Testimony on Crimes Against Humanity

In June, Open Society Justice Initiative special counsel Diane Orentlicher provided expert testimony on crimes against humanity to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law.

Noting that "United States law does not yet proscribe crimes against humanity," Orentlicher stated: "I urge this subcommittee to produce legislation making crimes against humanity a federal crime and establishing a jurisdiction to prosecute such crimes."

Orentlicher's full testimony examines American leadership in defining the concept of crimes against humanity and explores recent and current examples of such crimes.