International Committee of the Red Cross - ICRC’s Post

New blog from faculty member Ahmed Al-Dawoody, on the interplay between #IHL and #IslamicLaw:

New blogpost! This one recaps last month's MECACS seminar hosted by Kaleem Hussain, where he presented his recently published book 'Peace and Reconciliation in International and Islamic Law'. Check it out at the link below! https://lnkd.in/eRRprYT9

Many people, in light of the current Palestine situation, have lost confidence in international humanitarian law and international law in general. Many even condemn the law for the grave and worsening situation in Gaza Strip. But as international law enthusiast, I know that all recorded genocide revealed the worst of humanity as well as the “most darkest” side of humans. Those who studied international humanitarian law know that these grave crimes are the very reason why we have the law. And I know that it will get the “worst” in Palestine. We’ve counted, and is still counting, victims in the thousands, but we should not give up on the law. Personally, lawyers at the very least should have faith with the law. We should be first ones to believe that law has its purposes whether preventive, remedial or restorative. As I start this two-week discourse and knowledge-sharing in the Advanced Courses of The Hague Academy of International Law - Académie de droit international de La Haye and Supreme Court of the Philippines, I am renewing my faith in international law with the hope that in the end, the law will bring victory to the Palestinians, justice to the victims and accountability to the perpetrators.

☝️ The number of crimes committed by the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine is an unprecedented challenge for the national law enforcement and judicial systems. Therefore the situation calls for the involvement of all stakeholders, including international partners. 🗣 Deputy Prosecutor General Viktoriia Litvinova stated this at a Steering Committee meeting of EU Project Pravo-Justice dedicated to presenting the results of the Project's six-month work. According to her, the public prosecution office is currently making significant efforts to develop the professional skills of prosecutors and investigators, introduce innovations and prioritise proceedings, as well as decentralise the prosecutors' work. 🔹 Chief Justice Stanislav Kravchenko noted that many training programmes for judges have been implemented over the past year with the support of international partners. 💬 "First of all, this is necessary so that we can develop legal positions based on the case law of the ICC and the Geneva Conventions," Stanislav Kravchenko emphasised. 🔸 Oksana Tsymbrivska, Team Leader of EU Project Pravo-Justice, said that the Project will continue supporting Ukraine to restore justice and hold all perpetrators accountable. ℹ️ According to her, over the past six months, the Project has already conducted about 10 offline and online trainings, seminars, and workshops on international humanitarian law and international criminal law. ✔️ Moreover, the Project participated in the activities of the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA) established for Ukraine and supported meetings of the International Council of Experts on Crimes against the Environment during Armed Conflict. ✔️ Furthermore, Project experts have produced more than 15 expert opinions on specific legal issues of international humanitarian law and international criminal law while working in ACA clusters. #pravojustice #warcrimes #justice

Successfully completed a one-month course on 'International Humanitarian Law (Basics)' with Law Wits and Lawvists’ Den! This course deepened my understanding of critical principles in international law and humanitarian efforts. Proud to have actively participated and gained new insights into the laws that govern conflicts and protect human dignity. #InternationalHumanitarianLaw #LegalEducation #LawWits #LawvistsDen #CertificateOfCompletion

As a continuation of the discussions from the Boğaziçi International Law Conference, held in early August 2024, my colleague Hüseyin Dişli and I have contributed a blog post to the Opinio Juris Symposium "Rethinking International Law After Gaza." Titled "The Double-Edged Sword of Humanitarianism – UNRWA and the Struggle for Palestinian Agency in the Colonial Context," the essay critically explores colonial interventions in the operation of UNRWA and examines the role of the agency, highlighting how its mission has both aided and limited Palestinian agency within a broader colonial framework. You can read the full essay here:

Just completed the "International Humanitarian Law in Theory and Practice" MOOC by the Kalshoven-Gieskes Forum! 🎓 This course offered a fascinating deep dive into the rules of war and how they aim to protect humanity amidst conflict. We explored the foundations of IHL, different types of conflicts, and how rules apply in real-world scenarios like Syria, Ukraine, and the West Bank. Key takeaways: - Learned about the conduct of hostilities, including permissible weapons and protected persons. - Gained insights into the protection afforded to vulnerable groups like children, medical personnel, and detainees. - Examined mechanisms for IHL implementation and enforcement, and critically assessed their effectiveness. The course's mix of theory and practice, including the Arfula case study and discussions with experts, provided a valuable learning experience. If you're interested in international law and humanitarian issues, I highly recommend checking it out! #IHL #InternationalHumanitarianLaw #MOOC #LeidenUniversity #KalshovenGieskesForum #HumanitarianLaw #ArmedConflict #WarCrimes

Ensuring global peace is a pressing concern for humanity 🕊️ International Humanitarian Law provides an important framework to uphold moral and legal standards even amid conflict. Learn how to address the legal subtleties of contemporary armed conflicts with our course in International Humanitarian Law. Register in the link in the comments below ⤵️

Yesterday, over 600 UK lawyers signed a letter to the prime minister: “We are UK-based or qualified lawyers, legal academics and former members of the judiciary committed to upholding the rule of law and to protecting fundamental rights; and who share deep concern about the catastrophe unfolding in the Gaza Strip. In a letter dated 26 October 2023, over a thousand members of the legal profession wrote to you concerning your Government's obligations to avert and avoid complicity in serious breaches of International Humanitarian Law (“IHL”) in Gaza.” They refer to the ICJ provisional orders, the UNSC ceasefire resolution and UN agencies warnings of imminent famine. “We write in the light of these developments to remind you of your Government’s obligations under international law, which require you to take, amongst others, the following five actions: 1. to work actively and effectively to secure a permanent ceasefire in Gaza; 2. to take all available measures to ensure safe access to and delivery of the essentials of existence and medical assistance to Palestinians in Gaza, including confirmation that UK funding to UNRWA will continue with immediate effect; 3. to impose sanctions upon individuals and entities who have made statements inciting genocide against Palestinians; 4. to suspend the provision of weapons and weapons systems to the Government of Israel; and 5. to suspend the 2030 Road Map for UK-Israel bilateral relations and negotiations towards an enhanced trade agreement and to initiate a review into the suspension of the UK’s bilateral trade agreement with Israel and consider the imposition of sanctions” It's time now that all of you here on LinkedIn start having these conversations, in your workplaces (if you haven't already) particularly at compliance, executive, leadership, and board levels: 1. Conduct due diligence and risk assessments in your organisation and supply chain to ensure you are not complicit in causing harm and genocide in any way. 2. Prepare for possible sanctions and even if your government has not imposed sanctions yet, you can do it. Read the legal reasoning here as to the governments obligations to act against that state. https://lnkd.in/e3yadrJ3

"To be an international lawyer in this day and age is thus to be the one in the arena, who willfully roll up their sleeves and fight for its place as a potent force of change in this world." Read the full article on the Rohingya-Aceh Conflict by Muhammad Raihan Sjahputra on our blog: https://lnkd.in/ej7PDsp2