International Justice
We work to strengthen the system of international criminal justice to hold accountable those responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
The Open Society Justice Initiative supports the mission of the International Criminal Court, as well as national and regional accountability mechanisms that seek justice for mass atrocity crimes.
To make the International Criminal Court more effective, we support civil society engagement with the court and the defense of Rome Statute principles. Our International Justice Monitor is a leading source for informed, balanced reporting on trials underway at the court and elsewhere.
At a national level, we work with local groups and prosecutors seeking to build effective institutions and cases concerning atrocity crimes. When political factors obstruct justice at home, we push for alternative ways to hold perpetrators to account.
Open Society Justice Initiative Sues Trump Administration over International Criminal Court Executive Order
The Open Society Justice Initiative has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government over a Trump administration executive order authorizing draconian economic sanctions and severe civil and criminal penalties for those who support the ICC.
Building Roads to Justice in Syria
The Open Society Justice Initiative is part of a broad movement of Syrian and international groups that are bringing some of those responsible for atrocity crimes in Syria before courts in Europe.
Raising the Bar: Improving the Nomination and Election of Judges to the International Criminal Court
There are currently significant flaws in the way that the member states of the International Criminal Court identify and elect judges to the court, leading to the election of less-qualified candidates, and a bench dominated by a handful of states.
Cases
Open Society Justice Initiative et al. v. Donald J. Trump et al.
The Open Society Justice Initiative and four law professors have filed a complaint against the U.S. government over a Trump administration executive order authorizing draconian economic sanctions and severe civil and criminal penalties for those who support the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Federal Prosecutor's Office v. Anwar R.
This case, brought in Germany under the principles of Universal Jurisdiction, involves alleged responsibility for crimes against humanity committed in Syria, involving the accused, a former senior official with the Syrian government's General Intelligence Directorate.
Citizens 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.
Recent work
Justice Initiative Continues to Call for Fairness and Transparency in ICC Prosecutor Election Process
In light of indications that International Criminal Court (ICC) states parties are considering late-stage changes to the election process for the court’s next prosecutor, the Justice Initiative has joined more than a dozen civil society groups in an open letter calling for states to ensure that the process remains fair, transparent, and merit-based.
Justice Initiative and Syrian Archive Expose New Information on Syria’s Chemical Weapons Program
After two years of investigations, the Open Society Justice Initiative and the human rights group Syrian Archive have compiled the most comprehensive investigative report to date on Syria’s Scientific Studies and Research Centre (SSRC), the entity at the heart of Syria’s chemical weapons program.
Electing the Next Judges of the International Criminal Court: Principles and Essential Skills
This briefing paper outlines the steps member states should prioritize during the elections of six new judges to the International Criminal Court to ensure the highest caliber candidates are elected.
- Access to Justice
- Citizenship
- Economic Justice
- International Justice
- Corruption
- Criminal Justice
- Civic Space
- Discrimination and Equality
- Rule of Law
- National Security and Counterterrorism