Dear friends,

The last three months have seen many developments related to universal jurisdiction and the fight against impunity. These developments contribute to TRIAL International's fight to have the voices of victims and survivors heard and to punish those responsible for atrocities.

Here is a look at the latest progress...

On April 17, 2023, TRIAL International, in partnership with Civitas Maxima, Center for Justice and Accountability, ECCHR, FIDH and REDRESS, published the 2023 edition of the Annual Report on Universal Jurisdiction. The report highlights the growing use of the principle of universal and extraterritorial jurisdiction to reduce impunity for international crimes, a trend partly driven by the mobilization of many national prosecuting authorities in response to the atrocities committed on Ukrainian territory following the Russian invasion, as well as by new investigations targeting economic actors.

On the same day, more than six years after his arrest in Switzerland following the filing of a denunciation by TRIAL International, the Office of the Attorney General indicted Ousman Sonko, former Gambian Minister of the Interior, to the Federal Court (FC). Mr. Sonko will soon be tried for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the dictatorship of former President Yahya Jammeh. It will be the second case tried by the FC under universal jurisdiction and the highest-ranking official to be tried in Europe on the basis of this principle. The upcoming trial also marks a milestone in the transitional justice process in The Gambia, where efforts to bring Jammeh-era officials to justice are also underway.

During the past three months, several cases have developed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in part thanks to the assistance of TRIAL International. On March 1, 2023, three militiamen from the Raia Mutomboki Bralima armed group were convicted by the Tribunal Militaire de Garnison in Bukavu, South Kivu, for crimes against humanity. The three defendants were sentenced to between ten and twenty years in prison for murder, rape, sexual slavery, torture and other inhumane acts. Another case, the Kitindi case, also in South Kivu, went the other way, with the main defendant being acquitted. This is a disappointment for TRIAL International, which intends to appeal this decision in order to continue the fight against impunity and to make the voices of the victims heard.

In Bosnia-Herzegovina, a proposal by TRIAL International to abolish the practice of redeeming under one year-long prison sentences in war crimes cases will be debated during the next session of the Parliamentary Assembly. We hope to see this proposal approved in the coming months. 

All this would not have been possible without your support... Thank you for making our actions possible and allowing us to continue our fight against the most serious crimes and to reduce impunity!

The TRIAL International team

PS: Do you know that by subscribing to a monthly donation of just 10 CHF your impact is doubled? You become a crucial player in ending impunity for international crimes and you enable us to accompany victims in the long run! 

Report UJAR 2023   The 2023 edition of the Annual Report on Universal Jurisdiction highlights the growing use of the principle of universal and extraterritorial jurisdiction to reduce impunity for international crimes. It lists 27 new cases last year, out of the 93 covered by UJAR. This trend has been reinforced by the mobilization of many national prosecuting authorities in response to the atrocities committed on Ukrainian territory following the Russian invasion, and by new investigations targeting economic actors.   Read the report here © Creative Commons Press release Former Gambian Minister of Interior to be tried in Switzerland for crimes against humanity   On April 17, 2023, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland transferred its indictment against Ousman Sonko, former Gambian Minister of the Interior, to the Federal Criminal Court (FC). It accuses him of having participated in crimes against humanity committed under the dictatorship of Yahya Jammeh. The upcoming trial marks a decisive step in the transitional justice process in the Gambia, where steps are also underway to bring to justice those responsible for the Jammeh era. The case is also emblematic for Switzerland, as it will be the second trial to be held before the TPF on the basis of the principle of universal jurisdiction. It is even more so because never before in Europe has such a high-level official been tried under this principle.    Read more   News The "Bralima" trial in the DRC: three militiamen convicted for crimes against humanity   On March 1, 2023, three militiamen from the Raia Mutomboki Bralima armed group were convicted by the Military Tribunal of Bukavu (South Kivu province) of crimes against humanity. The three defendants were sentenced to between ten and twenty years in prison for murder, rape, sexual slavery, torture and other inhumane acts. The court also condemned them to pay reparations ranging from 1’700 to 4’000 USD to the twenty victims represented at the trial. The Congolese State was found responsible and was ordered to pay for all the psychological and medical support required by victims still suffering from the consequences of the aforementioned acts.   Read more News A proposal to abolish the practice of buying out prison sentences in war crime cases is headed to the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina   At the initiative of Member of Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina Saša Magazinović and with the support of TRIAL International in BiH, a proposal to abolish the practice of buying out under one year-long prison sentences in war crime cases has been referred to the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH.   Read more

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