SUBMISSION ON THE ICC OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR’S POLICY ON SLAVERY CRIMES
The Asia Justice Coalition secretariat responded to the International Criminal Court (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor’s call for submissions towards the new policy on Slavery Crimes. In the submission, the secretariat highlighted the legacy of slavery in Asia, including the sexual enslavement of ‘comfort women’ by the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces in World War II, and enslavement by the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. Regarding contemporary forms of slavery, the submission analyzed the enslavement of workers in the fishing industry in Southeast Asia and the forced conscription of the Rohingya in Myanmar. The secretariat recommends comprehensive and intersectional reflection on slavery crimes, including cumulative charging at the ICC in the interest of justice and accountability.
AJC’S JURISDICTIONAL BRIEF FOR INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE IN ASIA - SINGAPORE
On 30 May, the Asia Justice Coalition secretariat published its third of nine Jurisdictional Briefs for International Justice in Asia: Singapore. This brief canvass Singaporean criminal and civil law that could be useful to support survivors of atrocity crimes in Asia. It includes a summary of the Singaporean legal system and a review of relevant legislation and case law.
AJC PUBLISHED A PRIMER ON ‘WAR CRIMES’
The secretariat released the latest installment in their series of international accountability primers. This publication focuses on war crimes and serves as an explainer of the following topics: what constitutes a war crime, how it differs from other (international crimes), who can be held responsible for a war crime, and the distinction between war crimes and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions.
ASIA JUSTICE COALITION SECRETARIAT ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WOMEN’S EDUCATION AND RESEARCH CENTRE IN SRI LANKA
The Asia Justice Coalition secretariat is partnering with the Women’s Education and Research Centre in Sri Lanka as part of their Women in International Justice and Accountability (WIJA) Project. The WIJA project will develop women’s leadership in international law by building expertise and facilitating constructive dialogue around critical issues of international justice and accountability in three jurisdictions in Asia – Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and India.
BRIEFING ON THE INTERNATIONAL LAW COMMISSION’S DRAFT ARTICLES ON THE PREVENTION AND PUNISHMENT OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY
On 23 May, the Asia Justice Coalition Secretariat co-hosted a webinar with the Asia-Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect. Secretariat head Dr Priya Pillai and Legal Advocacy and Communications Manager Aakash Chandran briefed the participants and highlighted the relevance of the Crimes Against Humanity Convention to the Asia-Pacific region, and role that civil society organisations can play in advocating to have their governments support the proposed convention.
‘THE NEED FOR A CONVENTION ON CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY’
AJC Secretariat head Dr Priya Pillai wrote an opinion piece for the Lowy Institute highlighting the importance of addressing the legal gap in the prohibition of crimes against humanity by codifying them in an international treaty.
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