Court Archives - Career Meaning

International Criminal Court condemns US sanctions move

·February 7, 2025·1 min read

The court was established by the Rome Statute, negotiated within the UN – but it is a fully independent court set up to try the gravest crimes, including crimes against humanity. Read our explainer here. Thursday’s executive order said the US government would “impose tangible and significant consequences” on ICC...

Iran: UN experts alarmed as Supreme Court upholds death sentence of Kurdish woman activist

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·January 15, 2025·1 min read

“The charges against Ms. Pakhshan Azizi do not meet the threshold of ‘most serious crimes’ required by international law for the death penalty,” the Human Rights Council-appointed experts stated. “Her death sentence constitutes a serious violation of international human rights law.” Solitary confinement Ms. Azizi was arrested in Tehran on...

US: Rights experts urge Senate to reject bill sanctioning the International Criminal Court

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·January 11, 2025·4 min read

The ICC issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Go here to read our analysis of the decision and the likely next steps, and here for our ICC explainer. Asked by...

UN World Court concludes landmark hearings on States’ responsibility for climate change

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·December 23, 2024·2 min read

Initiated by a UN General Assembly resolution, the proceedings involved 96 countries and 11 regional organizations presenting their views on the “obligations of States with regard to climate change” under international law. While ICJ advisory opinion will be non-binding, it is expected to shape the future of international climate...

War against Hamas in Gaza is act of self-defence, Israel tells world court

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·January 13, 2024·3 min read

On the second and final day of preliminary hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Israel’s legal team insisted that the twin military objectives were to eradicate the existential threat posed by Hamas militants and to free some 136 hostages still held in the war-shattered enclave. “Israel is in...

Gaza: South Africa levels accusations of ‘genocidal conduct’ against Israel at world court

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·January 11, 2024·2 min read

The development came amid the ongoing and massive Israeli bombardment across the Gaza Strip in response to Hamas-led terror attacks on 7 October that left some 1,200 Israeli and foreign nationals dead in southern Israel and some 250 taken hostage. Laying out their case, the South African legal team told...

What is the International Court of Justice and why does it matter?

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·January 11, 2024·6 min read

What is the ICJ for, and how does it work? The ICJ, which is situated in the Peace Palace in The Hague, a city in The Netherlands, was established in 1945 as a way of settling disputes between countries. The Court also provides advisory opinions on legal questions that have been...

Stories from the UN Archive: Birth of the first global court

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·November 10, 2023·1 min read

The UN and its 193 Member States can bring a case within the Court’s jurisdiction and some of its decisions are shaping the planet’s common destiny. As the Court elects new judges from around the world on this #ThrowbackThursday, UN News is launching a weekly series, courtesy of our history-loving...

Five judges elected to United Nations’ top court

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·November 9, 2023·2 min read

In parallel and independent voting conducted by secret ballot, the Assembly and the Council re-elected one judge who is currently serving, Hilary Charlesworth of Australia. Another justice currently on the bench, Kirill Gevorgian of Russia, was not successful in securing another term. Four new justices were elected: Bogdan-Lucian Aurescu...

International Criminal Court: Russia urged to withdraw arrest warrants for judges

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·October 14, 2023·1 min read

“We share the concerns expressed on Tuesday by the Presidency of the ICC’s Assembly of States Parties that these actions are unacceptable, and we call for them to be promptly withdrawn,” said Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani, speaking in Geneva. Last month, Russia issued arrest warrants against the President, deputy and one...

Darfur: International Criminal Court launches investigation into surging violence

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·July 14, 2023·2 min read

Briefing the Security Council, Prosecutor Karim Khan, said that the mandate of his office, pursuant to resolution 1593 referring the situation in Darfur to the Court in 2005, was clear. “[Our mandate is] ongoing with respect to crimes within our jurisdiction, the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war...

Women in justice: Three trailblazing World Court judges send a powerful message

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·March 13, 2023·8 min read

Gender equality in the judiciary has been historically unbalanced, including at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. The first woman to be elected as a member of the ICJ in 1995 was Dame Rosalyn Higgins, who in 2006 also became the first...