Justice, Rule of Law and Impunity
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This afternoon (20 August), the Council is set to adopt a presidential statement drafted by Poland, focusing on international humanitarian law. This is to mark the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the universally ratified four Geneva Conventions, which regulate...
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Tomorrow (13 August), the Security Council will hold a briefing on “the 70th Anniversary of the Geneva Conventions – upholding humanity in modern conflict”, presided over by Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz. Briefers are expected to be ICRC President Peter...
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In August, Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz is expected to preside over a briefing on “the promotion and strengthening of the rule of law in the maintenance of international peace and security: international humanitarian law”. The anticipated briefers are ICRC President Peter Maurer, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, UN Legal Counsel Miguel de Serpa Soares, and Dr. Annyssa Bellal, senior research fellow and strategic adviser on international humanitarian law at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.
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In April, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas is expected to preside over a briefing on strengthening respect for international humanitarian law. The anticipated briefers are International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Peter Maurer, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock, and Naz Modirzadeh, founding Director of the Harvard Law School Program on International Law and Armed Conflict.
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On Monday (11 March), France and Peru will co-host an Arria-formula meeting on “Human rights, accountability and justice: contributions to international peace and security”. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Miguel de Serpa Soares, and former President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) Theodor Meron, will brief Council members. This will mark the first time Bachelet has briefed Council members in her current capacity.
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Over time, the Security Council has come to view upholding individual criminal accountability as integral to its responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. In some situations, the Council has approached this accountability as a practical tool that can have impact on the ground, aware, as well, that persistent impunity for gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law may hamper its own ability to maintain or restore international peace and security.
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Tomorrow (13 December), the Council is set to adopt a resolution drafted by the Netherlands and Côte d’Ivoire on the rule of law in the context of peace operations, on “strengthening support to police, justice and corrections areas in peacekeeping...
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Tomorrow (9 November) the Security Council is planning to hold an open debate on “Strengthening multilateralism and the role of the UN”. Briefing the press on this month’s programme of work on 1 November in his capacity as Council president...
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July marked the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court (ICC). The statute established the ICC’s jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. 17 July also marked the activation of the court’s jurisdiction over the crime of aggression, as decided by the 16th session of the ICC Assembly of States Parties held between 4 and 14 December 2017.
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Tomorrow (6 July), Council members will hold an “Arria-formula” meeting to discuss the relationship between the Security Council and the International Criminal Court (ICC) and to mark the 20th anniversary of the Rome Statute establishing the ICC. The meeting, titled...
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This afternoon (29 June), the Security Council will be briefed on mine action by Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions Alexander Zuev. It will consider the Secretary-General’s report on mine action (S/2018/623), requested in resolution 2365. Members...
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On Thursday (17 May), the Security Council will hold an open debate on the “Maintenance of international peace and security: Upholding international law within the context of the maintenance of international peace and security”. The open debate will be presided...
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An open debate on the maintenance of international peace and security with an emphasis on the Council’s role in upholding international law within the context of peace and security is planned in May. The Secretary-General is expected to brief the Council, and Poland’s president, Andrzej Duda, is expected to preside. No outcome is expected, but a note summarising the debate will be circulated to the wider membership.
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In November, the Security Council and General Assembly will elect five judges to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The judges will each serve a term of nine years commencing on 6 February 2018.
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On Monday morning (8 May), Italy will chair an Arria-formula meeting on “International Cooperation in Criminal Matters within the Peace and Security Pillar: the Role of Central Authorities”, with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The meeting...
