International Justice Practice Area

War Crimes Tribunals
War Crimes Trials have become a critically important component of nation building. PILPG’s War Crimes Practice Area was established in 1996, with an agreement between Richard Goldstone and PILPG to provide research assistance to the International Prosecutor on issues pending before the Yugoslavia Tribunal. The War Crimes Practice Group has significantly expanded to currently provide research assistance to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, the Iraqi Special Tribunal, and the International Criminal Court.

In the context of revelations about the mistreatment of detainees at U.S. detention centers in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan; the practice of “irregular rendition” as a means of outsourcing torture; the existence of US-created “black sites” where “ghost detainees” are interrogated abroad; and the content of the leaked “White House Torture memos” – the Cleveland Principles were adopted by the undersigned experts who took part in the “Torture and the War on Terror” Conference at Case Western Reserve University School of Law in Cleveland, Ohio, on October 7, 2005.   The Principles have been endorsed by the numerous other experts whose names are also listed below.   The undersigned include current and former high-ranking government, military, and international organization officials, prominent academics, and leading practitioners in the field –   representing all ends of the political spectrum. The Principles are intended as a clear restatement, written in plain English, of the fundamental international legal rules that apply to the treatment of persons in connection with the so-called “Global War on Terror.” The goal was to produce a text that would be easy for the American public, members of the military, and members of Congress to understand –   a text that would unambiguously spell out that in the context of the Global War on Terror, there is no law-free zone, torture can never be justified; outsourcing torture is unlawful; and that government personnel may be criminally liable for involvement in acts of torture.

Cleveland Principles

War Crimes Research Portal
In cooperation with the Case Western Reserve School of Law, PILPG operates a War Crimes Research Portal.

War Crimes Tribunal Drafter’s Handbook
PILPG is preparing to create an Establishing an International War Crimes Tribunal Handbook that will analyze the major issues that need to be addressed in creating a tribunal, discuss the lessons learned from past tribunals, and examine best practices with respect to the Statutes and Rules of the existing tribunals.

Public Advocacy
PILPG offers a public advocacy program as a part of its International Justice Practice Area.