Promoting Universal Jurisdiction while evoking the crimes committed within the former Yugoslavia

IPS_Innovative Prison Systems partners an European initiative aimed at raising awareness about the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, preserving the memories of victims, and promoting universal jurisdiction, human rights, and the rule of law.

Europe has been the scene of major conflicts that have marked its history and society such as WWII, the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, or the ongoing Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

These conflicts are often the stage of several international crimes i.e. genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression. Given the scale and impact of these atrocities, these conflicts also played a crucial role in the development of International Criminal Law, leading to the creation of the Rome Statute and the establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the ad hoc Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

The urgent need for accountability and redress for serious violations of Human Rights Law and Humanitarian Law has driven significant legal developments, shifting the focus from state-centric to human-centric narratives.

A pivotal outcome of this shift was the development of Universal Jurisdiction, enabling the prosecution of international crimes regardless of where they occurred, or the nationalities involved. While this principle promotes global justice, it faces challenges such as access to evidence and cultural barriers. In this context promoting the debate and awareness to develop effective solutions to these challenges is key.

Empowering Justice and Memory – Introducing NO-OBLIVION Project

The project NO-OBLIVION “Promoting Universal Jurisdiction while Evoking the Crimes Committed within the Former Yugoslavia” looks back at the conflicts of the former Yugoslavia to, through a victim-centric and jurisprudential lens, preserve the lessons learnt in the aftermath of this war and ultimately safeguard an European legacy of respect for human rights, rule of law, and peace.

To this effect, the project deploys a holistic and intergenerational two-fold approach: on the one hand, a awareness-raising campaign directed at younger generations, and further expanded to the masses; and on the other, an interweaved knowledge building strategy focused on justice professionals and their capacitation in what concerns Universal Jurisdiction and International Criminal Law.

NO-OBLIVION aims to raise awareness about the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, preserve the memories of victims, and promote human rights and the rule of law. Additionally, the project seeks to document atrocities and the impacts of extremist and authoritarian ideals ensuring that lessons learned are not forgotten and that these historical accounts contribute to the development of effective responses to current and future conflicts.

Over the span of 12 months, the project will engage younger generations and justice professional through multigenerational talks, virtual exhibitions, training sessions, and educational content, to foster a deeper understanding of historical conflicts and their legal implications.

The NO-OBLIVION’s kick-off meeting took place on the 23^rd of May 2024, marking the official launch of the project. This initial gathering brought together the consortium representatives to outline the project’s core objectives of promoting human rights, preserving historical memory, and enhancing legal education across Europe. Participants discussed the detailed plans for various educational and awareness-raising events, as envisaged in the project, ensuring effective collaboration between the consortium members.

Involving young people and justice professionals

During the upcoming months, the NO-OBLIVION project will host a series of events aimed at fostering awareness and engagement with historical conflicts and international criminal law.

A prominent initiative is the creation of the Youth Delegates Network, an initiative that will bring together individuals aged 18-30 with backgrounds in Law, Criminology, International Relations, Political Science, History, and Sociology from across Europe. This network aims to actively involve young people in the project’s activities, such as creating social media content and academic papers, and participating in intergenerational debates and podcasts. Those interested in participating in this initiative, can still do so through the application form until July 31^st, 2024.

The project will also establish a Justice Professionals Network, which aims to enhance the capacity and knowledge of judges, prosecutors, and lawyers in the field of International Criminal Law. Through dedicated learning materials and knowledge-enhancing activities, the network will reinforce the mechanism of universal jurisdiction, and advocate for the rule of law and human rights. To express interest in joining the Network, the project has created a different application form.

Furthermore, the project also issued a Call for papers for the Memory Lane Journal, encouraging students and scholars in disciplines such as Law, International Relations, and History to contribute research on the former Yugoslavia conflicts and their implications for universal jurisdiction and International Criminal Law. This call aims to gather insightful academic work that will contribute to the understanding and preservation of historical memory and support the development of effective legal responses to international crimes. Detailed submission guidelines can be found in the Call for Papers form, with submissions accepted until August 30^th, 2024.