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.

Peace versus Justice? On the Effects of the ICC on the War in Ukraine

When thirty-nine states asked that alleged war crimes in Ukraine be investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC), they bolstered the chances that perpetrators will one day be held to account. But will the pursuit of ICC justice bring peace to Ukraine? … Continue reading

Posted in "Peace versus Justice" Debate, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Peace Negotiations, Peace Processes, Russia, Ukraine, War crimes | 7 Comments

After all this time, why has Ukraine not ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court?

The following is a guest post B. Aloka Wanigasuriya on why Ukraine has not ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Aloka is an Australian lawyer and a PhD scholar at the Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen … Continue reading

Posted in Guest Posts, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Russia, Ukraine | Tagged | 12 Comments

The epidemic of coups exposes political fragility in Africa, but military rules aren’t the answer

The following is a guest-post by Olusegun Akinfenwa, a correspondent for Immigration Advice Service. Olusegun’s work raises awareness about the harsh socio-political realities confronting African communities, with a view to bringing lasting solutions to them. The recent wave of coups in … Continue reading

Posted in African Union (AU), Chad, Coups, Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Sudan | Tagged | 1 Comment

States that Neutered the Crime of Aggression have a Special Responsibility to Address War Crimes in Ukraine

In an unprecedented move, thirty-nine states have requested that the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigate atrocities committed in Ukraine. It is a welcome and important development. But one crime that the ICC will not be investigating is the crime of … Continue reading

Posted in Canada, Crime of Aggression, France, International Criminal Court (ICC), Rome Statute, Russia, Ukraine, United Kingdom | Tagged | Leave a comment

How Many More Crimes Can Putin Commit Before the World Calls Him A War Criminal?

On February 24, during a United Nations Security Council meeting, Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UN was informed that Russia’s invasion of his country had begun. Moments later, Kyslytsya turned to his Russian counterpart Vassily Nebenzia and told him: … Continue reading

Posted in International Criminal Court (ICC), Russia, Ukraine, War crimes | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

The Justification of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine under International Law

To help any and all interested observers, media, and curious diplomats, we have provided an authoritative analysis into the question: what is the justification of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine under international law? The answer, in 20+ languages: None. Жодного. никакое. … Continue reading

Posted in Donetsk, Lugansk, Ukraine | Leave a comment

Calling COVID-19 vaccine mandates a ‘crime against humanity’ isn’t just wrong, it’s dangerous

Among the many claims made by demonstrators converging on Ottawa for the “Freedom Convoy” is that the Canadian government’s vaccine mandate constitutes a “crime against humanity”. For over a decade, I have studied mass atrocities and worked with people in … Continue reading

Posted in Canada, Crimes against humanity, Indigenous Peoples | Tagged , | 7 Comments

The Real Victims of Australia’s Migration Policies aren’t Tennis Stars, They’re Refugees

The furor over whether or not Novak Djokovic will or will not be allowed to compete in the Australian Open has pitted the Serbian tennis star and vaccine skeptic against the government of Australia. But Djokovic is no victim and the government … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Human Rights, Immigration, International Criminal Court (ICC), Nauru, Refugees | 1 Comment

Enough is Enough: The ICC Should Announce an Investigation into Migrant Abuses

The scenes are all too familiar: migrants desperately clinging onto dilapidated dinghies as towering naval ships armed with heavy-duty guns encircle them. Some migrants make it to Europe. Many perish. Thousands are sent back each year to Libya. Back on … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

A Sea Change or Business as Usual? The Review of the International Criminal Court Continues

Gabriele Chlevickaite joins JiC for this blog post on the status of the review and reform of the International Criminal Court. Gabriele worked in the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC in 2014-2017, and Independent Expert Review in 2020. … Continue reading

Posted in ICC President, ICC Prosecutor, ICC Registry, International Criminal Court (ICC) | Tagged , | 2 Comments