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Posts by Mathias Holvoet

Among other things, the podcast touches upon a positive development in Belgium related to core international crimes: the increasing judicial recognition of Belgium`s liability for colonial crimes, such as the putting on trial of Etienne Davignon for war crimes in relation to Lumumba`s assassination.

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It was a great pleasure for me to get interviewed about Belgium and universal jurisdiction by Asymmetrical Haircuts, a podcast from which I learnt a lot myself and whose episodes I have used as teaching material. You can find more information and listen to the episode below.

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Let’s call it what it is: a crime against humanity.

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Or put differently, punish those NATO members who sought to uphold international law.

2 weeks ago 248 93 11 0
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Israel passes law to give death penalty to Palestinians convicted of lethal attacks Knesset approves measure that has been criticised by European countries and rights groups

This law is a straightforward case of apartheid. Apartheid is an international crime. Every legislator who voted for it, every military police office who prosecutes a crime under it, every judicial officer who applies it, is committing an international crime.

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

3 weeks ago 94 53 3 1

Wil Belgium open a criminal trial into the assassination of Patrice Lumumba and give truth a chance? After decades of silence, denial and impunity for this major colonial crime – and decades of relentless struggle by the Lumumba family – the court is expected to deliver its decision on March 17.

3 months ago 4 3 0 0

Venezuela to withdraw from the ICC, marking the 5th withdrawal this year, after Hungary, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

4 months ago 1 0 0 0
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Pro-Russia former civil servant becomes first Brit to face Ukraine 'war crime' charges over clip of pigs eating dead soldiers | LBC A former civil servant who has publicly voiced his support for Vladimir Putin has reportedly become the first Brit to face charges of war crimes over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Congratulations to Graham Phillips for achieving this first - Pro-Russia former civil servant becomes first Brit to face Ukraine 'war crime' charges over clip of pigs eating dead soldiers
www.lbc.co.uk/article/firs...

4 months ago 363 90 18 11
As we’ve said before, vessel strikes on narco-terrorists will continue until their the poisoning of the American people stops.

Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. 

The vessel was trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean and was struck in international waters. No U.S. forces were harmed in the strike, and three male narco-terrorists — who were aboard the vessel — were killed.

To all narco-terrorists who threaten our homeland: if you want to stay alive, stop trafficking drugs. If you keep trafficking deadly drugs—we will kill you.

As we’ve said before, vessel strikes on narco-terrorists will continue until their the poisoning of the American people stops. Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. The vessel was trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean and was struck in international waters. No U.S. forces were harmed in the strike, and three male narco-terrorists — who were aboard the vessel — were killed. To all narco-terrorists who threaten our homeland: if you want to stay alive, stop trafficking drugs. If you keep trafficking deadly drugs—we will kill you.

Trump admin's lawless killing spree continues.

Another lethal strike in the Caribbean against a boat allegedly operated by an unidentified "designated terrorist organization."

Fellow Americans:

Do you want your government committing actions credibly described as crimes against humanity?

5 months ago 81 48 7 1
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Trump’s Targeting of ‘Narcoterrorists’ Is a Crime in Itself Shoot first, ask questions when?

"The 'war on drugs' is a metaphor. Or was." www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-targ...

5 months ago 200 56 18 2
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Misbruik, manipulatie en achterdocht in de top van het Internationaal Strafhof in Den Haag VN-onderzoek: Tegen de hoofdaanklager van het Internationaal Strafhof loopt een onderzoek van de Verenigde Naties – een naaste medewerker beschuldigt hem van seksueel misbruik. Dit ging een rol spelen...

Aanklager van het Internationaal Strafhof beschuldigd van seksueel misbruik. Nieuw, uitgebreid onderzoek in @nrc.nl: www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...

6 months ago 0 2 0 0

Great blog on digitally enabled international crimes.

6 months ago 11 6 0 0

Overall the problem with the Rome Statute system is that its authors made it so voluntary and optional—you can sign, unsign, and sign again; you can join, you can leave, join again; you can refer, you can defer. You can cooperate, you cannot cooperate. State governments will do all, did all & do all

6 months ago 2 1 0 0
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Exclusive: ICC arrest warrant applications ready for Israel's Ben Gvir and Smotrich on apartheid charges The applications are in the hands of two deputy prosecutors in Karim Khan's absence, but ICC sources are concerned they will not submit them for fear of sanctions

Exclusive: ICC arrest warrant applications ready for Israel's Ben Gvir and Smotrich on apartheid charges

"The applications are in the hands of two deputy prosecutors in ... but ICC sources are concerned they will not submit them for fear of sanctions"

www.middleeasteye.net/news/icc-arr...

8 months ago 30 19 0 1
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Ukraine to host foreign ministers to endorse 'special tribunal' for Russian leadership Ukraine will host a group of foreign ministers in Lviv on Friday to endorse the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute the leadership of Russia, Belarus and North Korea for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, a senior Kyiv official said.

States to endorse on Friday the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute leaders of Russia, Belarus and North Korea for the crime of aggression against #Ukraine. www.reuters.com/world/europe...

11 months ago 3 4 0 0

New applications for ICC arrest warrants in the Situation in Palestine—now regarding the West Bank—are on the way or may have been filed. But this time, if these reports are correct, the PTC judges ordered that warrants be requested

11 months ago 2 2 1 0
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Exclusive: President Putin won't be tried for war crimes in absentia The special tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine is expected to be hosted in the Hague, the Netherlands. #EuropeNews

Future Special Tribunal for Ukraine will only hold in absentia trials for Putin and other high officials after they have left office. More on the Tribunal in following article: www.euronews.com/my-europe/20....

1 year ago 2 2 0 0
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I was interviewed by DW on the Netanyahu visit to Hungary. Read the article below 👇.

1 year ago 4 0 0 0
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How the High-Stakes Arrest of Rodrigo Duterte Unfolded (Gift Article) The man who ordered the Philippines’ bloody war on drugs is now in a cell at The Hague. Getting him there was far from a sure thing.

How Duterte was arrested and brought to the #ICC: lots of waiting in the airport lounge with rice, barbecued meat, and Coca-Cola.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/w...

1 year ago 0 2 0 0

Great!!

1 year ago 2 0 1 0

Thanks, makes total sense. I am curious to see whether CoE and EU will push through with establishing Special Tribunal.

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Is a Special Tribunal viable without US support you think?

1 year ago 0 0 1 0

Must read about the politicking in the Al-Masri case.

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Former #Philippines President Mr Rodrigo Roa #Duterte — suspected of crimes against humanity — is scheduled to appear before Internaitonal Criminal Court, #ICC, judges tomorrow (Friday 14 March) at 14:00 ('s-Gravenhage, local time) www.icc-cpi.int/sites/defaul...

1 year ago 1 4 0 0
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Very informative article.

1 year ago 5 3 0 0
Arrest of Rodrigo Duterte for “War on Drugs” in the Philippines When the news broke that the former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte had been arrested and detained upon arrival at Manila’s airport from an overseas trip, by Philippine police executing an in…

A short piece for Opinio Juris, based on today's news of the arrest of Rodrigo Duterte for the #Philippines "war on drugs".
#ICC #accountability

opiniojuris.org/2025/03/11/a...

1 year ago 40 16 2 2

Not going to parse language or explain context. Just note what is being said/implied in light of the following definition of the ‘crime against humanity of deportation or forcible transfer’:

1 year ago 2 2 0 0

Press release: The Special Tribunal will be established by an agreement between the Government of Ukraine & the Council of Europe (COE). It will derive its jurisdiction from Ukraine. The COE will be in charge of the procedure for adoption of the draft legal instruments.
ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

1 year ago 10 8 0 4
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Italy, Libya, and the Failure of State Cooperation with the International Criminal Court in the Elmasry Arrest Case The decision to release Osama Elmasry Njeem and fly him back to Libya immediately drew widespread outrage in Italy and beyond.

Italian authorities arrested Osama Elmasry Njeem based on a warrant from the International Criminal Court. But instead of transferring him to The Hague, he was sent to Libya.

Chantal Meloni analyzes how the case impacts cooperation between States and the ICC.
www.justsecurity.org/107175/italy...

1 year ago 35 15 0 1