Radio Nederland Wereldomroep

Richard Goldstone's diary

Richard Goldstone's Blog

Former war crimes prosecutor Richard Goldstone writes on international justice, peace and security.

Human Rights

Albino murder trial begins in Burundi

Eleven defendants have gone on trial in Burundi, accused of attacking and killing 12 albino people. It is the first trial to address the problem in East Africa, where body parts from albino people are used in witchcraft.

Sudan

Top general calls for a coherent solution for Darfur crisis

It's not the right time to arrest Sudan President Omar al-Bashir, says Jasbir Lidder, because the consequences for the people in Darfur and those trying to help them would be dire.

Guantánamo Bay

Guantanamo plans don’t match rhetoric

Will US President Barack Obama match his actions to his words when it comes to national security and his desire to end the Guantanamo "mess" and break with Bush-era anti-terror policies?

Cambodia

Cambodia marks 'Day of Anger' for Khmer Rouge victims

Students staged a re-enactment of Khmer Rouge crimes at one of Cambodia's notorious "killing fields" Wednesday as about 2,000 people marked the annual "Day of Anger" for those killed by the regime.

International Justice

Preventing mass atrocities

The International Conflict Conference was held this week in Amsterdam. Experts spoke of the need to put mechanisms in place to prevent the misuse of the 'responsibility to protect' doctrine.

Former Yugoslavia

Karadzic promised immunity, says lawyer

The lawyer for former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic' says he has evidence that Karadzic was promised immunity from prosecution by a top US official.

International Justice

Growing calls for Sri Lanka war crimes probe

The prospect of a war crimes probe following Sri Lanka's military victory over Tamil Tiger rebels looms larger, with UN chief Ban Ki-moon backing growing calls for a full investigation.

Rwanda

Verdict due in Canada's first war crimes case

Canada's first genocide trial is to come to a close Friday with a verdict in the case of an alleged militia leader accused of participating in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

International Justice

Bolivia genocide trial opens

The genocide trial of former Bolivian President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada opened Monday with the accused still in exile in the United States.

Human Rights

Pakistan refugee crisis: One of the world's worst

Pakistan is facing a major refugee crisis, with some two million people having fled the war zone in the Swat valley.

Sudan

Abu Garda faces ICC

Darfur rebel Bahr Idriss Abu Garda appeared before the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Monday. He is accused of an attack in 2007 that killed 12 peacekeepers in the war-torn Sudanese province.

Universal Jurisdiction

Trying to combat piracy is pointless

Somali pirates will keep on coming unless the circumstances in Somalia change, says the chair of the Dutch naval officers' association. What can the world do to tackle the pirate problem in the Gulf of Aden?

Universal Jurisdiction

Thailand to rule on Viktor Bout in August

Thai judges will wait until August to rule on a US request for the extradition of Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer dubbed the "Merchant of Death."

Truth & Reconciliation

Reconciliation in war-weary Sri Lanka seems distant

The people of Sri Lanka have grown weary from the fighting. This is bad news for 'ordinary' Tamils. Who still wants to listen to their problems now the radical Tamil Tigers have been defeated?

International Criminal Court

First Darfur rebel to appear before ICC

A Darfur rebel leader accused of killing African Union peacekeepers in 2007 is expected to appear before the International Criminal Court on Monday and is already in The Hague, the ICC said on Sunday.

International Justice

Sri Lanka declares victory

The Tamil Tigers have given up their fight against the Sri Lankan army. In a website statement, a senior spokesman admitted that "This battle has reached its bitter end".

Human Rights

Myanmar's Suu Kyi to stand trial

Myanmar pro-democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is to face trial for breaching the conditions of her detention under house arrest, her lawyer has said.

Guantánamo Bay

Obama to revive Guantanamo trials

President Barack Obama is to announce this week that he is reviving controversial military trials for terror suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, US officials said.

Universal Jurisdiction

Holocaust revisionist jailed in Australia

A German-born Holocaust denier has been sentenced to three months in prison in Australia for ignoring order to remove offensive hate material from his website.

Human Rights

Obama thinks again: no abuse photos

President Obama has had second thoughts - photos of the abuse of prisoners in Afghanistan and Iraq will not be published. Critics say he should have shown political courage.

Universal Jurisdiction

Spanish universal jurisdiction under pressure

Spain is facing growing calls to limit the scope that its judges have to investigate alleged human rights abuses in other countries. The criticism comes after recent cases caused diplomatic tensions with China and Israel.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Hutu rebel killings in DRC

Several dozen civilians were killed last weekend in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during attacks blamed on Rwandan Hutu rebels.

Human Rights

US joins UN Human Rights Council

The United States was elected to the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday, winning 90% of the UN General Assembly vote

Former Yugoslavia

Yugoslav tribunal appoints new registrar

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has appointed John Hocking as the new registrar of the war crimes court.

International Justice

Nuremberg Prosecutor King dies

Henry T King Jr., one of the last Nuremberg war crimes prosecutors, died Saturday.

Commentary

The International Community Fails Rwanda Again

Commentary: the recent decision by the UK High Court to release four Rwandan genocide suspects whom the Home Secretary had ordered to be extradited to Rwanda represents the latest in a series of international failures concerning post-genocide justice.

Universal Jurisdiction

Suspected Nazi guard Demjanjuk arrives in Germany

Suspected Nazi guard John Demjanjuk arrived in Germany on Tuesday after being deported from the United States to face charges of assisting in the murder of over 29,000 Jews.