Together, we are working for a more just world!

A message from Philip Grant, Executive Director

Dear friends,

We are looking back on one more productive year marked by victories in the fight against impunity. In the final months of 2019, two important verdicts have contributed to building a more just world.

In 2018, an armed group called Raia Mutimboki Kokodikoko pillaged, tortured, raped and murdered hundreds of victims in South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This fall, the group’s leader and two of his accomplices went to trial in a case that involved more than 300 victims, most of them survivors of sexual violence. On 19 November, the three former militiamen were convicted of crimes against humanity. Moreover, the Congolese government was condemned for failing to protect its population from the militia’s attacks. This historic victory is the result of your support and of the closer collaboration of all of our partners on the ground. Together, we are the changemakers!

Closer to home, after seven years of a fierce legal battle, the Swiss Federal Tribunal upheld Erwin Sperisen’s conviction and sentence him to 15 years in prison. As former chief of the Guatemalan police, Sperisen was convicted of complicity in the murders of seven detainees. We welcomed the Federal Tribunal’s decision with enormous relief for the victims’ families, for whom justice has finally been served. This victory is a reminder that the road to accountability for grave crimes is a long one—and one we must walk hand in hand.

For all those who fight against impunity, these victories provide a glimmer of hope. Thanks to your support, we are able to stand with victims and ensure that their rights to access justice are respected.

Please accept my sincere thanks for your solidarity, and my wishes for a joyful holiday season.

Best regards,

Philip Grant, Executive Director