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.

New Book Alert! Hybrid Justice: Innovation and Impact in the Prosecution of Atrocity Crimes 

Dear readers, I am very happy and excited to announce the publication of a new book, co-edited by Kirsten Ainley and myself, entitled Hybrid Justice: Innovation and Impact in the Prosecution of Atrocity Crimes. The volume is the product of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Publications, Hybrid Court for South Sudan, Hybrid Courts, Hybrid Tribunals | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

It’s all about control: U.S. sanctions against the International Criminal Court and navigating a path forward

The Trump administration’s Executive Order issuing sanctions against staff of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have been called many things: vindictive, disgraceful, as well as an act “that puts the United States on the side of war criminals at the expense of victims of grave crimes … Continue reading →

Posted in Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump, Gaza, Palestine, Palestine and the ICC, United States | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Here’s what needs to happen in the wake of Trump’s sanctions against the International Criminal Court

It wasn’t a surprise, but nevertheless, the Executive Order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) are a deeply troubling development. As Amnesty International’s Agnes Callemard put it, the order “is vindictive. It is aggressive. It is a brutal step that seeks … Continue reading →

Posted in ICC Prosecutor, ICC Registry, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, United States | Leave a comment

Trump’s Gaza “Plan” would mean committing every core international crime

It is hard to keep track of the number of international crimes being proposed in Washington as a response to the destruction of Gaza. There are solid arguments to be made that President Donald Trump’s “plan” for the United States to “own” … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime of Aggression, Crimes against humanity, Gaza, Genocide, ICC Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC), Israel, Palestine, United States, War crimes | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Settler Amnesty: Canada has a culture of impunity over Residential School atrocities. Here’s what that means

Last October, the Office of the Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools in Canada released its final report. It called for Canada to refer itself to the International Criminal Court and to create an … Continue reading →

Posted in Amnesty, Canada, Enforced Disappearance, Enforced Disapperances, Indian Residential School System, Residential Schools | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Impunity for Crimes against Migrants: How and why Italy ruined the best chance to bring accountability for atrocities committed against refugees on the Mediterranean

The biggest concern for advocates of international law and justice this week was supposed to be the Trump administration’s incoming sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC). But then came the bombshell news that Italian authorities had arrested an ICC suspect … Continue reading →

Posted in ICC Prosecutor, Immigration, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Libya, Libya and the ICC, Migration, Osama Elmasry Njeem, Refugees | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Time is Nigh – It’s up to states to save the International Criminal Court

If you listen carefully, you might be able to hear the applause of wanted war criminals, despots, and dictators around the world. The passing of a bill imposing sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the United States’ House of Representatives … Continue reading →

Posted in ICC Prosecutor, ICC Sanctions, International Criminal Court (ICC), Sanctions, United States | 2 Comments

A Return to Universal Jurisdiction? Canada reverses course, charges alleged ISIS fighter with War Crimes

In a major policy reversal, the Canadian government has decided to prosecute an alleged perpetrator of war crimes committed abroad in its own courts. Ahmed Eldidi has been charged by Canadian authorities with multiple war crimes, all relating to his apparent involvement … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Iraq, ISIS, Syria, Universal Jurisdiction | 2 Comments

The International Criminal Court is facing an existential challenge from the United States. How does it survive it?

The world’s only permanent international tribunal mandated to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide is facing its greatest challenge to date. With the incoming Trump administration and sanctions looming over the Court and its staff, a simple question … Continue reading →

Posted in ICC Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Israel, Palestine, Palestine and the ICC, United States | Tagged | 3 Comments

A window of opportunity for justice in Syria: Tracking Assad’s fleeing torturers and preparing for prosecutions

The list of atrocities committed since Syria’s civil war erupted in 2011 is almost endless. Every core international crime – war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide – has been perpetrated in a conflict that also left one-in-five Syrians living … Continue reading →

Posted in ICC Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC), open source investigations, Syria, Universal Jurisdiction | Tagged , , | Leave a comment