Topic: International Crimes
European Court Wants Answers from Poland in CIA Black Site Case
The European Court of Human Rights is pressing Poland for information and documents in the case of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, a Saudi national who was imprisoned and tortured at a secret CIA detention center on its soil.
German Court Ruling on U.S. Drone Strikes Leaves Victim’s Son without Redress
A German court has rejected the complaint of a Somali herdsman over the death of his father in a U.S. drone strike in 2012, in a case that highlighted the role of U.S. facilities in Germany in the drone program.
Open Society Justice Initiative Joins Call for Justice for Jamal Khashoggi
U.S. human rights and media freedom groups are calling on Washington for immediate concrete steps to pursue justice for Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist brutally murdered in Istanbul in October last year.
In Light of U.N. Khashoggi Investigation, Open Society Justice Initiative Renews Calls for Accountability
A new UN report calls for the an international criminal investigation into the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, underlining the importance of efforts by the Justice Initiative to secure the release of all U.S. government documents relating to the case.
Justice Initiative Seeks Release of Unpublished Research on UK Government's Counter-Extremism Strategy
The Open Society Justice Initiative is calling on the UK government to publish expert research that appears to challenge the effectiveness of its controversial "Prevent" counter-extremism strategy.
Khashoggi FOIA Case Documents Available Online
The Open Society Justice Initiative has begun to publish online materials released by the U.S. government, in response to a Freedom of Information Act petition seeking the release of records relating to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
Federal Court Issues First Decision Against U.S. Government in Khashoggi Records Case
A federal district court in New York issued its first judgement on Open Society Justice Initiative’s lawsuit seeking the immediate release of government records related to Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
European Court Finds Romania Hosted CIA Secret Prison
In a unanimous ruling delivered in Strasbourg, the European Court of Human Rights found that Romania hosted a secret CIA prison between September 2003 and November 2005.
Justice Initiative Warns against Dropping Inquiry Demand in CIA Kidnap Case
The Open Society Justice Initiative is urging continued European pressure on North Macedonia to properly investigate its role in the kidnapping, torture and rendition to Afghanistan of Khaled el-Masri, a German national, as required by a landmark 2012 ruling of the European Court of Human Rights.
The UK's Prevent Strategy Review is Fundamentally Flawed
The credibility of the UK government's supposedly Independent Review of its Prevent strategy is undermined by the narrow scope of its terms of reference, and the lack of independence of its head.
Justice Initiative Calls on U.S. to Deploy Global Magnitsky Act to Curb COVID-19 Rights and Corruption Abuses
The Open Society Justice Initiative is calling on the U.S. government to use the Global Magnitsky Act to address human rights abuses and corruption related to COVID-19 pandemic responses around the world.
Justice Initiative Sues Office of the Director of National Intelligence for Khashoggi Report
The Open Society Justice Initiative has filed a lawsuit seeking to compel the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to immediately make public its assessment of who is responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
Justice Initiative Files Submission Requesting New UK Sanctions against Saudi Crown Prince
The Justice Initiative has made a submission to U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab requesting that he designate the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, as an “involved person” in the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020.
Trump Administration Withholds Khashoggi Records, Biden Must End Cover-up and Commit to Transparency
After the Trump administration has failed to release meaningful records, President-elect Biden can demonstrate his administration’s commitment to human rights by releasing records on the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
Federal Court Orders U.S. Intelligence Agencies to Explain Withholding of Khashoggi Tape and Report
The court found that official acknowledgements—including President Trump's own statements—prevented the government from refusing to acknowledge that it is withholding records and audio tapes about the slain journalist.
Concern Over Appointment of William Shawcross to Review UK’s Counter Terror Strategy
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.
French Magistrates Seek Arrest of Syria's Al-Assad and Associates for Chemical Weapons Attacks
Arrest warrants for Al-Assad, his brother, and two other senior officials have been issued after an extensive investigation into chemical weapons attacks on civilians in Douma and Eastern Ghouta in August 2013 that killed more than 1,000 people.
Syrians Seek UN Rights Ruling against Russia for 2019 Hospital Attacks
A legal complaint seeks justice for Syrian victims of attacks by the Russian air force, and seeks to reinforce protections for health care facilities in war-time.
Challenging German Support for U.S. Drone Strikes
On Wednesday, March 13, an administrative appeals court in Northern Germany will review a legal challenge filed by a Somali herdsman whose innocent father was killed in a U.S. drone strike.
Submission to the UN Commission against Torture Review of the Netherlands
This submission argues that the Dutch government’s use of specialized high-security “terrorist” detention units has led to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
