The Biden administration has rescinded a controversial Trump-era executive order that authorized draconian economic sanctions and severe civil and criminal penalties against those who support the International Criminal Court.

The new proposal simply replaces the term “ghetto” with “parallel societies,” but also increases the number of areas covered by the legislation and includes a requirement to reduce those of “non-Western background” to a maximum of 30 percent within ten years.

The Justice Initiative supports the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), who filed a preliminary injunction in their case challenging the Trump administration’s executive order that authorized sanctions against individuals who assist the ICC.

The Justice Initiative has joined the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) and Syrian Archive in seeking a French criminal investigation into August 2013 chemical weapons attacks on the city of Douma and on Eastern Ghouta. The NGOs collaborated on a criminal complaint that was filed by SCM.

The Biden administration released an unclassified intelligence report showing who is responsible for the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. The Justice Initiative is calling for accountability.

In the trial of Eyad al-Gharib, a German court has, for the first time, convicted a Syrian official of crimes against humanity for acts perpetrated during the country’s decade long civil conflict.

In advance of the election of the next International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor now scheduled for February 12, 2021, the Justice Initiative laments the failure of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) presidency to establish a genuine vetting process for all candidates.

Open Society Justice Initiative is joining Muslim rights organizations in expressing deep concern about William Shawcross’s suitability for Reviewer of Prevent in the UK, given his record and previous statements on Islam.