newsletter No Peace Without Justice
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Per la versione italiana clicca qui |
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June 2013 |
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Highlights |
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Tunisia: NPWJ and KADEM promote transitional and international justice in the Arab region with the ICC Prosecutor |
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On 20 June 2013, No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) and Al-Kawakibi Democracy Transition Center (KADEM), under the framework of the Transitional Justice Academy, convened in Tunis a Conference on the topic: “Transitional and International Justice in the Arab region”, with the participation of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda. The Conference, which was opened by Mustapha Ben Jafar, President of the Tunisian National Constituency Assembly, provided a forum for governmental and civil society representatives from Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Palestine and Tunisia to discuss and identify concrete initiatives at the national level to promote the advancement of transitional justice mechanisms as well as ratification and implementation of the Rome Statute. Meetings with high level judges and prosecutors in cooperation with the Tunisian Ministry of Justice and the President of the Tunisian Bar Association also provided an opportunity to discuss the challenges of national investigations and prosecutions of ICC crimes. After ousting existing regimes, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia are seeking to implement transitional justice mechanisms, while Palestine and Bahrain’s quest for justice is a long-standing demand from the populations. Despite the difficulties and complexities involved in establishing transitional and international justice processes and the differences among these countries, they have many points of contact and have gone through similar experiences of dictatorship and repression of their basic freedoms. Therefore these initiatives were meant to facilitate and strengthen cooperation among governmental and civil society from these countries in their common endeavour to break with the legacy of impunity and abuses that typified previous regimes with a new respect for the rule of law and a commitment to restoring justice and dignity to victims.
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Libya: NPWJ fosters establishment of Libyan Trial Monitoring Network |
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On 14-15 June 2013, No Peace Without Justice, in partnership with the Tripoli Bar Association, held a two-day training on trial monitoring for 18 Libyan lawyers in the town of Sebrata, with the aim to build the capacity of participants to set up a Libyan network to monitor trials within Libya. The training provided an opportunity for participants to explore a variety of different trial monitoring interventions and to consider what system would be most suitable for Libya, based on main stakeholders’ expectations, in-country conditions as well as organisational capacities and the issue of access. The workshop culminated in the establishment of a Libyan Trial Monitoring Network, which NPWJ committed to support in any way it can. Trial monitoring is an important part of justice sector reform promoted by NPWJ within its Transitional Justice Program, aimed at strengthening national institutions and at promoting human rights and the rule of law.
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Egypt: NPWJ strongly condemns intensified crackdown on civil society and human rights defenders |
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On 4 June 2013, an Egyptian court convicted 43 NGO workers, among them 15 Americans, of illegally operating non-governmental organisations and accepting unauthorised foreign funds, sentencing them to between one and five years in prison. The court also ordered the closure of the Egypt offices of the NGOs involved. This verdict, along with a recent draft law on NGOs that would impose tight restrictions on Egyptian civic groups, is a major setback and recalls similar campaigns carried out during the previous dictatorial regime. By curtailing fundamental human rights, such as freedom of association, the Egyptian authorities blatantly contradict the spirit of the revolution and violate Egypt's international commitments under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration for Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. NPWJ and the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty (NRPTT) strongly condemn the increased campaign of harassment, intimidation and arbitrary restrictions carried out by Egyptian political and judicial authorities against human rights defenders. It is only by fully endorsing the values and principles of democracy and the rule of law and by supporting the development of a dynamic and diverse civil society, that the Egyptian authorities can keep the flame of the revolution alight and ensure that accountable institutions and democracy thrive. |
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NPWJ events |
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Bahrain: NPWJ supports civil society capacity building on Human Rights monitoring |
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In the framework of its project to support Bahrain’s democratic transition through justice and accountability, NPWJ organised, in coordination with its local partners in Bahrain, a “Strategic Colloquium on Challenges and Opportunities for Bahraini Civil Society”, which was held on 17-19 June 2013, in Istanbul, Turkey. The purpose of the Colloquium was to foster productive dialogue and synergies between Bahraini civil society organisations in their efforts to promote political reform and contribute to anchoring their country’s future on democracy, rule of law and respect of fundamental human rights. By enabling local civil society and democracy activists to build on the work developed since the inception of mass demonstrations in Bahrain in February 2011, the meeting also aimed, specifically, at enhancing local civil society and democracy activists capacity to effectively monitor, report and document past and present violations and abuses, as well as to develop their own recommendations to ensure accountability and redress for the victims. Participation to the Colloquium ensured a mixture of established civil society actors from across Bahrain’s social, confessional and political spectrum, and the participation of underrepresented groups such as women and young people, and actors who command respect within their communities.
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Tunisia: the Transitional Justice Academy fosters exchange between Libyan and Tunisian media on transitional justice and the ICC |
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On 11-12 June 2013, Al Kawakibi Democracy Transition Center (KADEM) and No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) promoted, under the Transitional Justice Academy framework, a two-day training course for Tunisian and Libyan media representatives on Transitional justice and the International Criminal Court, with the participation of Fadi Al Abdallah, ICC Spokesperson and Head of the Public Affairs Unit. This event offered a unique opportunity to Libyan and Tunisian media representatives to share lessons learned and best practices on Transitional Justice and the ICC, reinforcing their respective capacity to work on these issues. Given the lack of transparency under the former regimes, in fact, Libyan and Tunisian media are not yet fully accustomed to cover news and events relating to justice and they often have misconceptions and misunderstandings that are reflected in their work. However, media can play a key role in shaping and mobilising public opinion around accountability mechanisms and media coverage is more likely to be objective and accurate if it is well-informed and has a good knowledge of these issues. |
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NPWJ on Radio Radicale |
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Have Breakfast with No Peace Without Justice |
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No Peace Without Justice and Radio Radicale, the foremost Italian nationwide all-news radio, have an ongoing partnership to provide news and information on our activities to a broad Italian audience. This partnership features an in-depth weekly program on NPWJ’s current campaigns and activities. The program is broadcast in Italian every Friday morning immediately before the main news summary. Recent episodes have focused on the Middle East and North Africa, especially on the NPWJ Transitional Justice Project in Tunisia. Other topics included the Syrian crisis and the “Strategic Colloquium on Challenges and Opportunities for Bahraini Civil Society”, held in Istanbul, Turkey, on 17-19 June 2013. In addition, together with the Female Genital Mutilation Program Coordinator Alvilda Jablonko, we analysed recent news about FGM. |
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NPWJ press releases |
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Tunisia: NPWJ and KADEM promote transitional and international justice in the Arab region with the ICC Prosecutor KADEM and NPWJ promote High-level Consultations on Transitional and International Justice in the Arab region Bahrain: NPWJ supports civil society capacity building on Human Rights monitoring Libya: NPWJ fosters establishment of Libyan Trial Monitoring Network Tunisia: the Transitional Justice Academy fosters exchange between Libyan and Tunisian media on transitional justice and the ICC NPWJ and KADEM organise Media Training on “The International Criminal Court and Transitional justice in Libya and Tunisia” NPWJ strongly condemns intensified crackdown on civil society in Egypt Libya: NPWJ provides Capacity-Building Training on Transitional Justice and Human Rights |
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NPWJ in the news |
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Justice transitionnelle et justice internationale dans le Monde arabe, thème d’une conférence à Tunis Tunisians, Libyans learn about transitional justice Liberia: Lawless Liberia - Legal Failure Renews International Calls for Female Genital Cut Law Non dimentichiamo le mutilazioni genitali President Kenyatta is not an ICC fugitive |
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Support NPWJ |
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Get involved, have your say and make a difference! |
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You have the power — by joining us, volunteering, and donating — to support our work for the protection and promotion of human rights, democracy, the rule of law and international justice around the world. Your contributions will make a real difference and help us in our endeavour to promote accountability and redress for the victims of crimes under international law, to support women’s rights advocates in their fight against Female Genital Mutilation as one of the most widespread and systematic violations of the human right to personal integrity, and to support the role of human rights and democracy activists in the Middle East and North Africa Region. For further information visit our website: www.npwj.org |
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