Universal jurisdiction
Trying people wherever they are, whatever their nationality
Universal jurisdiction enables national judicial systems to try individuals, regardless of their nationality or the place where the crimes were committed. This justice approach deals with international crimes committed a long time ago, as during the civil wars in Liberia, or when no other jurisdiction, international or national, is able or willing to try them,, as in the case of Syria. As with the trials of Rwandans in several European countries (for genocide), the trial of Gambian Ousman Sonko (accused of crimes against humanity in Switzerland) or of Chadian Hissein Habré, tried and convicted in Senegal (for crimes committed in Chad in the 1980s). Discover universal jurisdiction through the news documented by our experts.
More Crimes Prosecuted under Universal Jurisdiction, says Report
For the second year running, rights groups TRIAL, FIBGAR, ECCHR and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) are publishing an annual report on universal jurisdiction, entitled “Make way for Justice”. Under the universal jurisdiction principle, States can under certain conditions prosecute and try alleged perpetrators of international crimes regardless of where the crimes were […]
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