International Justice Day - Can a Man Make a Difference?

Click to watch the trailer of "A Man Can Make a Difference" by Ullabritt Horn

International Justice Day is celebrated each year on July 17th  to commemorate the adoption of The Rome Statute of International Criminal Law signed on that same day in 1998 and the creation of the International Criminal Court.

The date underscores the significance of ongoing efforts to fight against impunity and deliver justice for victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. It also serves as a reminder to all the International Criminal Court (ICC) signatory nations to maintain their responsibilities and continuously support the international justice system. It highlights the crucial role of civil societies in offering cooperation to protect victims and witnesses and to uphold the preservation of evidence.

Unfortunately, in the first 20 years, there were only 5 indictments - all Africans -, and the question of how to make the ICC more effective has remained. 

The Ljubljana-The Hague Convention on International Cooperation in the Investigation and Prosecution of Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity, War Crimes, and Other International Crimes represents a significant step towards international cooperation in criminal affairs. It bans state members from inflicting violence and/or attacking civilian populations and allows extradition of individuals accused of war crimes. The Mutual Legal Assistance Convention (MLA) further enhances domestic investigations of international crimes, fostering accountability and clarifying the judicial framework’s applicability. 

On International Justice Day, we remember one of the chief prosecutors of Nazi War Crimes Benjamin Ferencz and his achievements at the Einsatzgruppen Trial - one of the twelve trials held by the US authorities in Nuremberg, Germany during the 1940s. The Nuremberg trials symbolised a new era in humanitarian law as former Nazi leaders were indicted as war criminals for their conduct in the mass execution of civilians during the Third Reich. 

Ferencz also fought for survivors' restitution and the return of stolen assets, emphasising the need for universal laws to prevent future atrocities. The Ferencz International Justice Initiative, in collaboration with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, aims to hold perpetrators accountable and bring together coalitions of change agents from affected communities to the halls of power. 

The biopic Law Not War (2015) by Ullabritt Horn - originally titled A Man Can Make a Difference - chronicles the life of Benjamin Ferencz and his accomplishments as a lawyer and activist. The film was nominated for the Cinema for Peace Justice Award in 2016. Ferencz was also the patron of a screening series by Cinema for Peace in Harvard.

In addition, "Prosecuting Evil" offers a compelling portrait of Ben Ferencz as the last living prosecutor of the Nuremberg Trials, who remained a staunch advocate for justice and global peace. Nominated for Political Film of the Year at the 2019 Cinema for Peace Awards, this documentary highlights Ferencz's enduring commitment to confronting evil through the rule of law.

Click here to watch the trailer of "Prosecuting Evil" by Barry Avrich.