Trends in International Criminal Justice and the Commonwealth

The incoming Director of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, Kingsley Abbott, will discuss trends in international criminal law and the Commonwealth. 

Impunity for serious human rights violations remains a persistent challenge around the world.  To complement the work of the International Criminal Court, States are increasingly using universal jurisdiction to hold perpetrators to account.  At the same time, UN bodies, victims, human rights defenders and civil society are employing new and creative strategies to identify and support avenues to accountability.  With reference to the Commonwealth, this discussion will highlight some of the recent developments in the field of international justice. 

Kingsley Abbott has more than 20 years’ experience in international non-governmental organisations, the United Nations and domestic legal practice. For the past nine years he was based in Thailand where he served the International Commission of Jurists as the Director of Global Accountability and International Justice. During this time, he developed and led numerous human rights and rule of law initiatives in Asia and around the world. Prior to that, he worked as a Senior Legal Adviser at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal in Cambodia and as Trial Counsel in the Office of the Prosecutor at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in the Hague. He started his career in his home country.

This session will be chaired by current ICwS Director, Dr Sue Onslow.