A project of the Aegis Trust.
This site is...
This website is intended to make the first one or two steps easier when investigating someone suspected of torture, war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide. The site:
- provides links to basic background reports on a particular conflict or situation;
- provides 'country guides' on NGOs, country experts or émigré groups who might be able to find witnesses or other relevant evidence (including witnesses now resident in third countries who might be able to speak more freely to investigators than those who remain in the country affected by the conflict);
- lists other cases from that conflict which might be relevant;
- names practitioners - other lawyers and investigators - who have brought cases relating to that conflict.
The site also provides very brief descriptions of the 'universal jurisdiction' laws in a range of countries and lists practitioners who have brought cases in those states. This may be useful if you are an NGO with a good case file on a particular suspect who you know is about to travel to one of those countries.
And finally, this website uses 'crowd sourcing' technology to allow people to report sightings of suspects on the run from the international criminal tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, and the International Criminal Court. Sightings can be by email, SMS texts or submitted via the website.
This site isn't...
This website isn't finished. It's still in development - there are many more conflicts to add, national laws to summarise and technological bugs to iron out. In the meantime we'd welcome your feedback, suggestions and offers of help - please do email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Despite the title and URL - the site doesn't provide a definition of universal jurisdiction or a discussion of the implications, benefits, harms and controversies bought about by that particular term. If that's what you're after you could do worse than start with some of the reports gathered here.
The site doesn't purport to be comprehensive - it doesn't cover all aspects of a particular conflict, it may have missed some experts and practitioners, nor does it summarise all the applicable laws in a particular country. We encourage you to use this site as a stepping stone to finding the research, witnesses, or legal expertise you need which relates to a particular conflict or forum state. If you've got suggestions please do This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
In particular, the Ushahidi software which underlies the ability to report sightings of suspects isn't yet perfect. It was designed for reporting violence or incidents following major natural disasters. And it is still in its early stages of development. Please do This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it any problems you have using the software and we'll pass them on to the developers.
Who are we?
This is part of 'Wanted for War Crimes' a programme of the Aegis Trust. Our team includes two international prosecutors who have previously worked at the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, and represented the victims in the first case at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Court of Cambodia. We build cases against suspected war criminals and train other activists and NGOs in international criminal law.
How can I help?
We'd love volunteers to help maintain and update the site. Please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
I think I've spotted a suspect - what should I do?
In the interests of maintaining operational secrecy please first contact Interpol or the fugitive tracking units of the relevant international tribunal or the ICC.
Interpol lists the following contact methods if you have spotted a Rwandan genocide suspect:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
ICTR 00 250 0830 2418
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Abdijan - Cote d'Ivoire BP 727
Harare - Zimbabwe PO Box 6611710
Nairobi - Kenya PO Box 42997 00100
The International Criminal Court provides the following contact information:
International Criminal Court
Office of the Prosecutor
Communications
Post Office Box 19519
2500 CM The Hague
The Netherlands.
Or send it by email to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or send it by facsimile to: +31 70 515 8555
