Justice Policy

U.S. Expands Potential for War Crimes Cases

U.S. Expands Potential for War Crimes Cases

On January 5, 2023, President Biden signed into law the Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act which expands the ability of prosecutors to charge war criminals in the United

The Captagon Act Explained: Opportunities and Limitations

The Captagon Act Explained: Opportunities and Limitations

On December 23, 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden signed the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included the “Countering Assad’s Proliferation Trafficking And Garnering Of Narcotics Act,

Holding Minors Accountable for Serious Crimes Committed in Syria

Holding Minors Accountable for Serious Crimes Committed in Syria

Part II – Child Perpetrators in SDF and Iraqi Custody Read part I here [https://syriaaccountability.org/holding-minors-accountable-for-serious-crimes-committed-in-syria/] This brief is the second in a two-part series which aims to answer

Germany and the Netherlands Must Improve Psychosocial Support for Survivors in Criminal Trials

Germany and the Netherlands Must Improve Psychosocial Support for Survivors in Criminal Trials

The Koblenz Trial – the first major trial against a Syrian government affiliate – took place in Germany from 2020 until 2022. Throughout the proceedings, witnesses and survivors talked in detail about

Holding Minors Accountable for Serious Crimes Committed in Syria

Holding Minors Accountable for Serious Crimes Committed in Syria

Part I – Child Perpetrators in Europe Read Part II here This brief is the first in a two-part series which aims to answer the question of how national, regional, and

The case against Russia’s Wagner Group and what it means for Syria

The case against Russia’s Wagner Group and what it means for Syria

Human rights groups have filed a case [https://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/wagner-cedh-q_a-en.pdf] at the European Court for Human Rights (ECtHR) against the Russian Wagner Group for

Outsourcing Responsibility: 
Why the UK’s Controversial Rwanda Scheme Undermines International Law

Outsourcing Responsibility: Why the UK’s Controversial Rwanda Scheme Undermines International Law

Introduction Under the Nationality and Borders Act [https://www.unhcr.org/uk/uk-immigration-and-asylum-plans-some-questions-answered-by-unhcr.html] introduced in April 2022, the British government plans to transfer asylum seekers who arrived to the

The Legality of Israeli Airstrikes in Syria

The Legality of Israeli Airstrikes in Syria

Since the beginning of the Syrian conflict, Israel has regularly conducted airstrikes on Syrian government troops [https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220224-three-syrian-soldiers-killed-in-israeli-strike-near-damascus-state-media] , Iran-backed forces [https://www.youtube.com/watch?

Alaa M. Trial – Challenges to a Fair and Public Trial

Alaa M. Trial – Challenges to a Fair and Public Trial

The Koblenz Trial [https://syriaaccountability.org/the-trial-of-anwar-raslan-and-eyad-al-gharib/] and the trial of Alaa M. [https://syriaaccountability.org/update-german-prosecutor-indicted-syrian-doctor-for-crimes-against-humanity/] in Frankfurt are the first time that Syrians are witnessing affiliates of the