Conference: International Criminal Justice at the Crossroads: Reflecting upon the Past, Discussing the Present, and Imagining the Future

On May 17, 2019, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam will host a conference on "International Criminal Justice at the Crossroads: Reflecting upon the Past, Discussing the Present, and Imagining the Future." The program is here. Here's the idea:

In July 1998, with loud ovations, diplomats and activists celebrated the adoption of the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court (ICC). Set up in 2002 in the footsteps of various ad hoc international and hybrid criminal tribunals, the ICC was welcomed with great anticipation and high hopes as a global institution that would speak justice to power, hold perpetrators accountable and satisfy victims of the most serious crimes of international concern. Twenty years later, some say that international criminal justice is in crisis. The ICC is facing increasing criticism from States, academia and commentators. Not only is the Court’s case record relatively meagre, but the difficulties relating to issues such as witness interference, political influences, and a lack of state cooperation, make future prospects of the Court challenging. Calls for justice after mass atrocity crimes from victims, activists and others, however, are not likely to dissipate.

This one-day event brings together different generations of practitioners and scholars studying, observing and practicing international criminal justice. During interactive roundtable sessions, the discussants will reflect upon the past, discuss how to address the current challenges, and imagine the future of criminal justice after atrocities.