Author Archives: Mark Kersten

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About Mark Kersten

Mark Kersten is an Assistant Professor in the Criminology and Criminal Justice Department at the University of the Fraser Valley in British Columbia, Canada, and a Senior Consultant at the Wayamo Foundation in Berlin, Germany. Mark is the founder of the blog Justice in Conflict and author of the book, published by Oxford University Press, by the same name. He holds an MSc and PhD in International Relations from the London School of Economics and a BA (Hons) from the University of Guelph. Mark has previously been a Research Associate at the Refugee Law Project in Uganda, and as researcher at Justice Africa and Lawyers for Justice in Libya in London. He has taught courses on genocide studies, the politics of international law, transitional justice, diplomacy, and conflict and peace studies at the London School of Economics, SOAS, and University of Toronto. Mark’s research has appeared in numerous academic fora as well as in media publications such as The Globe and Mail, Al Jazeera, BBC, Foreign Policy, the CBC, Toronto Star, and The Washington Post. He has a passion for gardening, reading, hockey (on ice), date nights, late nights, Lego, and creating time for loved ones.

After the Trial Ends: Why Residual Mechanisms Deserve Our Attention

The following is a guest-post on the afterlife of international criminal tribunals, written by Maria Elander, Rachel Killean and Mark Drumbl. Maria is an Associate Professor and the Associate Dean, Research and Industry Engagement in the La Trobe Law School. … Continue reading

Posted in Central African Republic (CAR), Chambres Africaines Extraordinaires (CAE), Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), Guest Posts, International Criminal Justice, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), Kosovo Relocated Specialist Judicial Institution (KRSJI), Kosovo Specialist Chambers, Lebanon, Sierra Leone, Special Court for Sierra Leone, Special Court for SIerra Leone (SCSL), Special Criminal Court, Special Tribunal for Lebanon | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

More of the same, or changes on the way? For the first time in a decade, the Canadian War Crimes Program sheds light on what it has been up to.

Atrocities in Sudan, Gaza, and Ukraine raise a question: do people in countries far away, like Canada, have a role in addressing the suffering of others? While these conflicts can appear remote, affecting only distant strangers, the horrors they produce … Continue reading

Posted in Ahmed Eldidi, Canada, Canadian War Crimes Program, Gaza, Hamas, International Criminal Justice, Islamic State, Israel, Palestine, RCMP Structural Investigation, Structural Investigation, Ukraine, Universal Jurisdiction, War crimes | Tagged | 2 Comments

The ‘Pearce case: Is the Netherlands providing justice for crimes against migrants and refugees in Libya?

The following is a guest post by Cristina Orsini, a Senior Programmes Advisor with Lawyers for Justice in Libya, contributing to litigation and advocacy on human rights violations and international crimes. Cristina is also a PhD Researcher in Law at the … Continue reading

Posted in Human Smuggling, Human Trafficking, Libya, Migration, Refugees, The Netherlands | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Signs of resilience amidst troubling times in The Hague: Some thoughts on the good and the bad from this year’s Assembly of States Parties

“We will continue our work undeterred.” That was the message from senior staff and prosecutors at the yearly Assembly of States Parties (ASP) of the International Criminal Court. While admitting that times are difficult, ICC officials repeatedly emphasized that their … Continue reading

Posted in Argentina, Assembly of States Parties, Cybercimres, Germany, ICC President, ICC Prosecutor, ICC Sanctions, International Criminal Court (ICC), Israel, Libya, Palestine, Palestine and the ICC, Ukraine, Venezuela | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

A litmus test for commitment to international law: Germany needs to speak up and protect the ICC

The following is a guest-post by Maxine Rubin on the relationship between Germany and the International Criminal Court. Maxine is a Research Fellow and the Editor of Africa Spectrum, at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies. She has … Continue reading

Posted in Germany, Guest Posts, ICC Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Israel, Palestine, Palestine and the ICC | Leave a comment

We need to talk about the “International Stabilization Force”: Canada and others say they’ll support a military intervention to ‘enforce peace’ and protect civilians in Gaza

As the first stage of the peace plan for Gaza takes shape amidst reported breaches of the fragile agreement between Hamas and Israel, a critical question remains: will military forces be used to secure Gaza? While Canada announced its recognition … Continue reading

Posted in Afghanistan, Canada, Gaza, Israel, Palestine, Peace Negotiations, Peace Processes, Peacebuilding, Responsibiltiy to Protect (R2P), United Nations | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lifting Immunity, Resolving Impunity? The Case for an Immunity Exception in a Future Crimes Against Humanity Convention

Mayya Chaykina join JiC for this post on the issue of immunities in the proposed Crimes Against Humanity Convention. Mayya is a master’s student in law at Sciences Po Paris. Her work focuses on international criminal law, mass atrocity prevention, and … Continue reading

Posted in Crimes against humanity, Guest Posts, United Nations, United Nations General Assembly | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Canada and allies recognize Palestine: what does it mean, what does it change, and will real action to end atrocities and annexation follow?

Amidst the atrocities, annexation efforts, and ignored warnings to stop both, it became impossible to defend the status quo. So, on 21 September 2025, Canada joined 150 other states – including erstwhile Israeli allies, France and the UK – that … Continue reading

Posted in Apartheid, Canada, Gaza, Genocide, Israel, Palestine, United Nations, United Nations General Assembly | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An Inversion of Pariah Status:  How Washington is undermining the UN General Assembly as a sanctuary for peace to thwart the ICC

Victor Peskin joins JiC for this guest post on the upcoming United Nations General Assembly. Victor is an Associate Professor in the School of Politics & Global Studies at Arizona State University and a Senior Research Fellow at the UC … Continue reading

Posted in Gaza, ICC Prosecutor, ICC Sanctions, International Criminal Court (ICC), Israel, Palestine, Palestine and the ICC, United Nations, United Nations General Assembly, United States | Tagged | Leave a comment

Is this Justice? Prosecuting the Ghost of Joseph Kony at the International Criminal Court

We sat beneath the mango trees at a hotel in Gulu, northern Uganda, the epicenter of a horrific civil war between the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and Ugandan government forces. It was 2011 and the three decommissioned LRA commanders asked … Continue reading

Posted in International Crimes Division (Uganda), International Criminal Court (ICC), Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), northern Uganda, Uganda | Tagged , , | 2 Comments