During an interview on the Justice Visions podcast, the Head of the IIIM, Catherine Marchi-Uhel spoke of the critical contribution Syrian civil society organisations, including victim/survivor groups and family associations, made in advancing justice and accountability.
Podcast link here
The Head of the IIIM participates in a virtual panel as part of the Free Yezidi Foundation’s eight-year commemoration of the Yezidi Genocide
August 3, 2022 – The Head of the IIIM, Catherine Marchi-Uhel, participated in a virtual panel on Justice and Accountability organised by the Free Yezidi Foundation for the eight year commemoration of the Yezidi Genocide. During her remarks, Ms. Marchi-Uhel shared how specific areas of the IIIM’s work and products, in relation to the core international crimes committed by ISIL in Syria, included those committed against members of the Yezidi community.
Watch the discussion here from 1:16:10 to 2:44:08
Deputy Head speaks at launch of the Anchoring Accountability for Mass Atrocities report – IIIM
IIIM Deputy Head Michelle Jarvis took part in the launch of the Anchoring Accountability for Mass Atrocities report, released by the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict (ELAC).
The report attempts to better understand the challenges arising for UN accountability mandates and how they can be best supported moving forward. It looks in particular at the consecutive establishment and high performance of three independent UN investigative mechanisms (IIIM, IIMM and UNITAD).
In her intervention, Ms. Jarvis looked into the case for structural reform in the accountability landscape, especially vis-à-vis mainstreaming a VSCA into the work of accountability mechanisms, and the need for a centred but nimble information architecture accompanying it.
Ms. Jarvis’ intervention starts here:
French National Assembly authorises international judicial cooperation agreement between French Government and IIIM
The French National Assembly has passed a bill presented earlier by Government to authorise the approval of the international judicial cooperation agreement between the French Government and the IIIM. Amongst other things, the agreement would allow information to be transmitted from French courts to the IIIM, which had not been possible under current law.
To read more, click here.
IIIM-Syria welcomes German Court’s Crimes Against Humanity Verdict
Geneva, 13 January 2022 – The International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism – Syria (IIIM) welcomes the landmark judgement against Anwar R, at the Higher Regional Court in Koblenz, Germany. The former high-ranking Syrian official was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in torture, murder and sexual violence in his previous position as Head of the Investigation Department of Branch 251 of the Syrian intelligence services.
This verdict concludes a trial that saw many survivors of Branch 251 give witness testimony, and prosecutors make use of evidence and information that many actors and particularly Syrians, have bravely documented, collected and shared with accountability bodies.
Catherine Marchi-Uhel, the Head of the IIIM, said “The Koblenz ruling is highly significant not only for the direct victims and survivors these crimes, but also for the victims and survivors of the many unaddressed past and on-going violations in Syria. We must acknowledge that there is still much work to be done for justice to be delivered. This verdict reminds us all of what is possible and should leave perpetrators of serious crimes in no doubt that there will be accountability for their actions.”
Germany’s use of universal jurisdiction holding perpetrators of international crimes committed in Syria accountable, shows the vital role national jurisdictions play in providing paths to justice for victims/survivors of crimes committed in Syria. While no international court currently exists, national jurisdictions must continue to uphold international law by bolstering their own laws and processes. The IIIM’s Central Repository of Information and Evidence is a powerful resource for national war crimes units seeking to investigate and prosecute suspects.
“Sharing evidence and analysis is one leg of what is essentially a lengthy relay race of many accountability actors,” Ms. Marchi-Uhel stated “Our role at the IIIM is justice facilitation. We make use of information and material we have collected from many others and share it along with legal analysis and other support to jurisdictions, with the hope that it leads to many more trials and verdicts like those in Koblenz.”
While the IIIM does not comment on its involvement in specific cases, it is a matter of public record that the IIIM is supporting German jurisdictions. The IIIM seizes all available avenues for justice and prepares for those that may emerge in the future. Its primary purpose is to assist competent jurisdictions seeking to investigate and prosecute alleged perpetrators of international crimes committed in Syria since 2011.
To download the Press Release, click here.
#IIIMSyria
Al Jazeera Op-ed about barriers to universal jurisdiction
This op-ed examines the possibility of carrying out investigations into the war crimes that have been committed in Syria internationally, and how investigations at the national level have been more feasible yet remain marred by several barriers. To access this op-ed, click here.
Conversation with Catherine Marchi-Uhel at a conference on international justice in Dakar
Catherine Marchi-Uhel, the Head of the IIIM, attended an international justice conference on October 26 2021, in Dakar. In conversation with Philipp Ambach, the ICC’s Chief of the Victims Participation and Reparations, the discussion covered the work of the IIIM, its applicability to the context of West Africa, and current features in the international justice scene.
To access the French language conference report, click here.
To access the English language conference report, click here.
Arabic copy to follow shortly.
Le Monde op-ed by Catherine Marchi-Uhel on the ruling by France’s Cour de cassation
In her Le Monde Op-Ed, Head of IIIM Catherine Marchi-Uhel argues that France needs to lift the obstacles that keep victims of crimes against humanity at the doors of French justice.
To read the article in its entirety, click here. The article is in the French language.
Agreement between IIIM and Swedish Government to improve possibilities of investigating serious offences committed in the Syria conflict
To facilitate efforts by Swedish law enforcement authorities to investigate crimes committed by Da’esh terrorists, the Swedish Government entered into a cooperation agreement with the UN International Impartial and Independent Mechanism.
Sweden enters into a cooperation agreement with the IIIM
The Cooperation Agreement aims at facilitating efforts by Swedish law enforcement authorities to investigate crimes committed by Da’esh/ISIL terrorists.
Click here to read more. This article is in the Swedish language.