Organization: Professionals in Humanitarian Assistance and Protection
Registration deadline: 29 Sep 2016
Starting date: 29 Sep 2016
Ending date: 29 Sep 2016
In addition to the loss of human life and creating severe humanitarian crises, the destruction of cultural heritage has played a prominent role in the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Iraq, and in the recent conflict in Mali. The spotlight was once put on the legal accountability of armed groups when in September 2015 the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor’s Office opened the first ever war crime case for destruction of cultural heritage during the 2012 military coup d’état in Mali, where rebel groups considerably damaged Timbuktu’s cultural sites and historical monuments.
Nonetheless, ICC’s mandate is limited to prosecute crimes occurred in State parties of the Rome Statute or individuals holding the citizenship of a State party. For instance, both Syria and Iraq have not ratified the Rome Statute and war crimes against their cultural heritage can only be prosecuted if the UN Security Council requests it or individuals held responsible are citizens of a State party of the Rome Statute.
In this learning session, Kristin Hausler of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL) will provide an introduction to the current legal frameworks that protect cultural heritage during both international and non-international armed conflicts, and how they apply to state actors and non-state armed groups.
How to register:
Read more and register at phap.org/29sep2016