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.

Making War Illegal – The Crime of Aggression and the ICC

Over the next few days, we will be publishing three pieces on the crime of aggression. With the first post, JiC welcomes Teddy Nicholson, an MSc International Relations student at the LSE with an avid interest in the subject. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime of Aggression, International Criminal Court (ICC), Nuremberg Trials, UN Security Council | 2 Comments

Beyond Criminal Justice: A Truth Commission in Libya

A fascinating debate about where to try the two surviving members of theTripoli Three – Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and Abdullah al-Senussi – is currently raging (see here, here and here). It’s an important debate, and, as readers will know, I … Continue reading →

Posted in International Criminal Court (ICC), Libya, Libya and the ICC, The Tripoli Three (Tripoli3), Traditional Justice Mechanisms, Transitional Justice, Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, Truth Commission | Leave a comment

The “Crown Jewel” of Justice in Libya: Senussi, not Saif

Since the NATO-backed rebellion in Libya began to sweep away at the four-decade rule of Muammar Gaddafi, the international attention (deficit disorder) paid to Libya has tended to only concentrate on one of the Tripoli Three at a time. For … Continue reading →

Posted in Justice, Libya, Libya and the ICC, The Tripoli Three (Tripoli3), Uncategorized | 1 Comment

ICC Confirms: Trial in Libya by the Court is a Possibility!

So it wasn’t such a crazy idea after all. Tucked away and close to the end of a Reuters article from last night were words that sped up my heart-rate. In the context of the ongoing debate about where to … Continue reading →

Posted in ICC Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC), Libya, Libya and the ICC, The Tripoli Three (Tripoli3), Transitional Justice | 4 Comments

Saif Gaddafi Arrested: What now for Justice in Libya?

Last Friday night, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, dressed in the traditional garbs of the Tuaregs, was detained whilst on the run, likely to neighbouring Niger. With the death of his father, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam had become the most wanted … Continue reading →

Posted in Complementarity, Human Rights, ICC Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC), Justice, Libya, Libya and the ICC, The Tripoli Three (Tripoli3) | 3 Comments

Who Gets to Serve Justice: Saif Gaddafi and ICC Due Process

Mathias Holvoet, a PhD-Candidate, studying international criminal law, at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Free University of Brussels), joins us to discuss the possible surrender of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi to the ICC. Specifically, Holvoet covers the issue of due process of the accused … Continue reading →

Posted in ICTY, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), Libya, Libya and the ICC, The Tripoli Three (Tripoli3) | 2 Comments

Pride and the Interventionist Itch: NATO in the Wake of Libya

Pride is a tricky thing. We want to feel it but it doesn’t always manifest itself as a good trait. For this reason Alexander Pope once declared that pride is “the never-failing vice of fools”, while Saint Augustine wrote that … Continue reading →

Posted in Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, NATO, Responsibiltiy to Protect (R2P), Syria | 1 Comment

What a Difference Actually Asking Makes: Burkina Faso, Asylum and Gaddafi

A few months ago, amidst rampant rumours that Muammar Gaddafi was seeking asylum in Burkina Faso, I expressed my frustration at what I thought was groundless and largely unfounded speculation: “If Gaddafi does, in fact, seek asylum he will surely … Continue reading →

Posted in Burkina Faso, International Criminal Court (ICC), Libya, Libya and the ICC, The Tripoli Three (Tripoli3) | Leave a comment

The “Injustice Cascade” – Supplanting International Justice with Targeted Killing

Dear readers – this piece was originally posted, in an edited form, at JURIST. For keen readers of JiC there may be some repetition from previous themes or pieces but I thought it was “original” enough to post here nonetheless. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crimes against humanity, Justice, Libya, Libya and the ICC, Middle East, NATO, Slobodan Milosevic, The Tripoli Three (Tripoli3) | Leave a comment

Propping up Tyrants: Selling to and Supporting Authoritarian Regimes

Brittany Lyons joins us as a guest-poster to discuss the mixed signals sent by states like the US when they provide military support to authoritarian regimes but decry authoritarian tactics. An aspiring professor of psychology, Brittany is currently working “to … Continue reading →

Posted in al-Shabaab, Arms Deals, Arms Trade, Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Middle East, Syria, Tunisia, United Kingdom, United States, Yemen | 1 Comment