FIBGAR in Rome: Two Days to Strengthen International Justice and Combat Impunity
This week, FIBGAR will be in Rome to take part in two days of work dedicated to international justice, universal jurisdiction and the fight against impunity. On 17 and 18 September, the Fondazione Basso will bring together international experts, civil society representatives, legal professionals and other actors working in the field of international criminal justice.
Two different but closely connected events will provide an opportunity to address both the challenges facing universal jurisdiction in Europe and the role that Italy can play in strengthening international justice.
Ten Years of the Madrid-Buenos Aires Principles: Where Does Universal Jurisdiction Stand Today?
On Thursday 17 September, FIBGAR will organise the expert roundtable “Universal Jurisdiction in Europe: A Critical Perspective” at the Fondazione Basso, coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the Madrid-Buenos Aires Principles on Universal Jurisdiction.
The discussion will centre on a key question: has universal jurisdiction in Europe fulfilled its promise of making an effective contribution to the fight against impunity? Ten years after the adoption of these Principles, the event will provide an opportunity to assess the progress made, but also the challenges that continue to limit the effective application of this mechanism.
The first part of the meeting will focus on the gap between principles and practice, with contributions from Chloé Faucourt, of the Genocide Prosecution Network; Kristina Hon; and Rebeca Huete Salazar, of Civitas Maxima.
The second panel will then focus on how to continue building effective accountability mechanisms, addressing the role of cooperation and civil society. Participants will include Chantal Meloni, Senior Legal Advisor at ECCHR; John Stauffer, Legal Director and Deputy Executive Director of Civil Rights Defenders; and Hope Rikkelman, Executive Director of the Nuhanovic Foundation.
The event will be opened by Alessia Schiavon, Executive Director of FIBGAR, and will conclude with a session dedicated to drawing together key conclusions and recommendations.
Italy and Its Role in International Justice
The discussion will continue on Friday 18 September with a second event, organised by our partner European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), also at the Fondazione Basso.
Under the title “Rafforzare il contributo dell’Italia alla giustizia internazionale”, the roundtable will examine the different ways in which the Italian authorities can contribute more effectively to the investigation and prosecution of international crimes.
Italy has significant experience in the field of international justice and judicial cooperation. However, important challenges remain within its domestic legal framework and in its capacity to investigate and prosecute international crimes. The event will therefore seek to open a space for discussion on these issues and on the measures needed to strengthen Italy’s cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The programme will bring together a range of perspectives. The event will feature Chantal Meloni, Professor at the University of Milan, who will deliver the opening address on the importance of national jurisdiction within the international criminal justice system and Italy’s potential role.
The roundtable will also feature Antonio Vallini, from the University of Pisa; representatives of the Genocide Prosecution Network and Eurojust; Raffaele Piccirillo, representing the Public Prosecutor’s Office; Pamela Capizzi, from Trial International; and Niccolò Figá-Talamanca, from Non c’è pace senza giustizia, who will deliver the closing remarks.
Two Days, One Common Goal: Moving Forward in the Fight Against Impunity
The consecutive organisation of these two events will allow international justice to be examined from two complementary perspectives: on the one hand, the role of universal jurisdiction as a tool to ensure that international crimes do not go unpunished; on the other, the need to strengthen national systems and international cooperation in order to enable the effective investigation and prosecution of these crimes.
For FIBGAR, these spaces for exchange are essential to connect legal reflection with the challenges arising in practice and to strengthen networks of cooperation among civil society organisations, legal professionals, institutions and other actors committed to the fight against impunity.
We are especially grateful to ECCHR and the Fondazione Basso for their collaboration and commitment to organising these events and for helping to create spaces for dialogue and joint work on the current challenges facing international justice.
Rome will thus become, for two days, a space to take stock of what has been achieved, identify the obstacles that remain and, above all, think collectively about how to continue moving towards more effective international justice.
