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.

Justice through Graffiti and Cartoons in Syria

A fascinating and common trend amongst ‘Arab Spring’ states has been the use of imagery, particularly graffiti and cartoons, to denigrate bloodthirsty leaders, to express exasperation with repressive regimes, and to evoke hope for a different and altogether more peaceful … Continue reading

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The ICC in Syria: A Ticking-Time Security Council Referral?

Like so many others, I find myself in the morally and politically ambiguous position of having no clue what the international community should do to stop the ongoing violence in Syria, recently described as descending into “a sectarian wasteland”. The … Continue reading

Posted in International Criminal Court (ICC), Justice, Syria, UN Security Council | Tagged , | 7 Comments

The ICC: Three Remarkable Achievements

The ICC recently celebrated its tenth anniversary amidst heavy criticism of its international role and impact. Some of the criticism is valid, a lot of it misrepresents the mandate and role of the ICC. Regardless, in this context, after some … Continue reading

Posted in International Criminal Court (ICC) | Tagged | 2 Comments

Melinda Taylor and the ‘ICC4’ Released: Five Pressing Questions

It is a huge relief to be able to write that Melinda Taylor, Helene Assaf, Alexander Khodakov, and Esteban Peralta Losilla were released from Libya on Monday and have returned to be reunited with their families. The four had spent nearly … Continue reading

Posted in International Criminal Court (ICC), Libya, Libya and the ICC | Tagged , , , , , | 15 Comments

Can International Justice Tribune Die? No!

Dear readers, I wanted to alert you to rather sad news. Many of you will already be aware that RNW – International Justice Tribune, an indispensable and widely respected resource for global and transitional justice news will no longer be … Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, JiC News | 2 Comments

Can the ICC Deliver Impartial Justice?

My apologies for not blogging much over the last few days. I have just returned from a long-awaited and much-needed vacation but promise to get writing more substantially soon. In any case, I thought readers might be interested in an … Continue reading

Posted in International Criminal Court (ICC), Interviews, Justice | Leave a comment

Separating Fact from Fiction: Melinda Taylor and the ICC Staff’s Detention in Libya

In times of crisis or scandal, misunderstandings are an unfortunate but inevitable consequence of not having sufficient information and only getting it in fits and spurts from political actors with competing interests. The continuing controversy surrounding the detention of ICC … Continue reading

Posted in Defense Counsel, Libya, Libya and the ICC | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Updates on Melinda Taylor, Helene Assaf and ICC Staff Detained in Libya

Dear readers, I have decided to create a post dedicated to updates on the ICC staff detained in Libya. Unfortunately, the media is likely to tire of this story quickly and I figured JiC could contribute to creating a space … Continue reading

Posted in Defense Counsel, International Criminal Court (ICC), Lebanon, Libya, Libya and the ICC, Russia, Spain | Tagged , , , | 22 Comments

Did the ICC just issue an Apology to Libya?

Readers of JiC are likely already aware of the ongoing saga facing the ICC’s staff members in Libya. The ICC has just issued a press release regarding the situation facing Melinda Taylor, Helene Assaf, Alexander Khodakov, and Esteban Losilla, employees of the Court who were detained in … Continue reading

Posted in Defense Counsel, Libya, Libya and the ICC | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Libya Explains Detention of ICC Staff to the UN Security Council

I have just received a copy of a letter, dated June 19 2012, and sent from Libya’s Ambassador and Permanent representative to the United Nations. For the time being, I will withhold any elaborate commentary on the letter but, in … Continue reading

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