Lucy Gaynor
@lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
1.8K followers 650 following 580 posts
Historian. PhD Researcher: University of Amsterdam / NIOD-Institute for War, Holocaust & Genocide Studies. Researching historical narratives in international criminal trials ( #Rwanda / #Cambodia / #ICC)
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
When is a trial no longer a trial? When is a defendant no longer a defendant? When is a court no longer a court?

I wrote about #Kabuga, the politics of #justice, and the significance of justice spaces, for @justiceinfo.bsky.social

www.justiceinfo.net/en/150638-th...
The many endings of the Kabuga trial
When is a trial no longer a trial? When is a defendant no longer a defendant? When is a court no longer a court?
www.justiceinfo.net
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
#ICC judges convict Abd-Al-Rahman, Janjaweed militia leader, of 27 counts of crimes against humanity & #warcrimes in Darfur, #Sudan, in 2003-04.

Judge Korner made a point of naming #victims from each incident. There was a significant 🇸🇩 presence in the gallery.

www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10...
ICC convicts Sudan ex-militia leader Ali Kushayb of Darfur war crimes
The 27 guilty verdicts are the first handed down by The Hague-based court over war crimes in Sudanese region in 2000s.
www.aljazeera.com
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
30 minutes until the #ICC’s first (and only) judgement re: violence in #Sudan in the early 2000s!

Link to stream in the reply below 👇🏻
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
In 2005 the #UN Security Council referred the “Situation in #Darfur” to the #ICC.

Today, at 2pm 🇳🇱 time, after 3 years & 74 witnesses, the ICC’s only #Sudan trial will end.

Alleged #Janjaweed leader Abd-Al-Rahman will hear the judgement on his 31 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
The closing statements in the Abd-Al-Rahman case took place over 3 days in December. I wrote about them on my #substack

lucygaynor.substack.com/p/abd-al-rah...
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
In 2005 the #UN Security Council referred the “Situation in #Darfur” to the #ICC.

Today, at 2pm 🇳🇱 time, after 3 years & 74 witnesses, the ICC’s only #Sudan trial will end.

Alleged #Janjaweed leader Abd-Al-Rahman will hear the judgement on his 31 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
Anwar S. - a suspected former #Shabbiha militia leader in #Aleppo, #Syria - was arrested in #Germany last week on charges of Crimes Against Humanity: killing and torture.

Assad used Shabbiha both for the commission of violence, and the evasion of responsibility.

www.reuters.com/world/middle...
German police arrest Syrian man suspected of crimes against humanity
German police arrested on Tuesday a Syrian man suspected of committing crimes against humanity, including killing and torturing, as a militia leader in 2011 in Aleppo, prosecutors said.
www.reuters.com
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
A military court in #Kinshasha sentenced former #DRC President Joseph #Kabila to death - in absentia - on charges incl. murder, sexual assault, torture, & insurrection.

President #Tshisekedi has claimed Kabila (who now lives in 🇿🇦) is responsible for M23 violence.
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
Congo military court sentences ex-president Kabila to death in absentia
A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday sentenced former president Joseph Kabila to death in absentia, convicting him of crimes including war crimes.
www.reuters.com
Reposted by Lucy Gaynor
nnhrr.bsky.social
🎓 PhD Spotlight! 🔦

👋 Meet Lucy Gaynor @lucyjgaynor.bsky.social, PhD candidate at the University of Amsterdam.

Lucy examines the construction and contestation of historical narratives within international criminal trials, focusing on the ICTR.

🔍 Read the Q&A: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
Summer 2025 has been a good ‘un for #reading
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
Al-Masri - wanted by the #ICC for crimes committed at Mitiga prison in #Libya -was arrested in January after a football game in #Italy, but released after 48 hours.

3 gov. officials allegedly helped him escape justice & hid secret meetings about it from parliament.
www.politico.eu/article/liby...
3 top Italian government officials accused of helping Libyan warlord flee justice
Italy’s parliament will vote on Tuesday on whether two ministers and a cabinet secretary can be prosecuted over the case.
www.politico.eu
Reposted by Lucy Gaynor
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
A surprise end to the #Kabuga status conference.

Judge Bonomy announces that this will be the last time Courtroom 1 at the mechanism, #IRMCT, formerly the #ICTY, will be used as a Courtroom.

The last time “this storied and historic courtroom will be used”.
Reposted by Lucy Gaynor
svdberg.bsky.social
The gang was all there for #Kabuga at the #IRMCT only to learn it was the last ever hearing in the #ICTY's legendary courtroom 1 where I spent a big chunk of my late twenties with accused Yugoslav war criminals @lucyjgaynor.bsky.social @janethanderson.bsky.social @mollyquell.bsky.social
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
Hundreds of judges, lawyers, witnesses, registrars, assistants, interpreters, security, and defendants have sat in its chairs.

But, Bonomy said, “a court is at its heart simply a forum where arguments are made, evidence is heard, and decisions are made”.
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
A surprise end to the #Kabuga status conference.

Judge Bonomy announces that this will be the last time Courtroom 1 at the mechanism, #IRMCT, formerly the #ICTY, will be used as a Courtroom.

The last time “this storied and historic courtroom will be used”.
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
A surprise end to the #Kabuga status conference.

Judge Bonomy announces that this will be the last time Courtroom 1 at the mechanism, #IRMCT, formerly the #ICTY, will be used as a Courtroom.

The last time “this storied and historic courtroom will be used”.
Reposted by Lucy Gaynor
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
It’s been just over 2 years - 780 days to be exact - since an Appeals Chamber ruled that #Kabuga’s (already struggling) trial be “indefinitely suspended” due to his health.

The prosecution is still insisting that #Rwanda be his final destination, despite defence objections and his unfitness to fly.
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
En route to #TheHague for yet another #Kabuga status conference.

The #IRMCT has said a recording will be available after the session (no mention of a stream).

Recent conferences have been brief, punctuated by frustration and helplessness from all trial parties, as Kabuga remains in detention.
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
It’s been just over 2 years - 780 days to be exact - since an Appeals Chamber ruled that #Kabuga’s (already struggling) trial be “indefinitely suspended” due to his health.

The prosecution is still insisting that #Rwanda be his final destination, despite defence objections and his unfitness to fly.
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
En route to #TheHague for yet another #Kabuga status conference.

The #IRMCT has said a recording will be available after the session (no mention of a stream).

Recent conferences have been brief, punctuated by frustration and helplessness from all trial parties, as Kabuga remains in detention.
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
En route to #TheHague for yet another #Kabuga status conference.

The #IRMCT has said a recording will be available after the session (no mention of a stream).

Recent conferences have been brief, punctuated by frustration and helplessness from all trial parties, as Kabuga remains in detention.
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
This year will be the 5th in a row that I’ve watched Raoul Peck’s #documentary ‘Exterminate All the Brutes’ with students of @niodamsterdam.bsky.social’s ‘Holocaust and Genocide Studies’ program.

Every single year, “current” events echo his discussions of historical #violence

‘The past is present’
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
"An instrument of neo-colonialist oppression"

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger issue a joint statement withdrawing from the #ICC

Earlier this year, all three also jointly withdrew from #ECOWAS

www.bbc.com/news/article...
Three West African countries to quit International Criminal Court
The three military juntas, who came to power through coups, say the judicial body is 'incapable' of handling 'proven war crimes'.
www.bbc.com
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
The sheer volume of redactions speaks to the number of insider #witnesses in this case.

The specific details of the violence of #Duterte’s “War on Drugs” in this pre-confirmation brief are a stifled portrait of horror.
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
The #ICC's Office of the Prosecutor has released its 'Pre-Confirmation Brief' to accompany the 'Document Containing the Charges' against former President of the #Philippines, Rodrigo Roa #Duterte

The PCB is a legal narrative outline of the 'story' of the charges.

A short 🧵on the main takeaways:
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
Duterte's confirmation of charges hearing, initially scheduled for this week, has been delayed, as his defence have asked for a ruling on whether he is fit to face a Courtroom.

The Pre-Confirmation Brief of the Prosecutor can be seen here:
www.icc-cpi.int/sites/defaul...
www.icc-cpi.int
lucyjgaynor.bsky.social
... Speeches and Reports on the National Network's "accomplishments"
- Duterte's own public speeches.

Duterte reassured police: "if there's somebody who will go to jail, it's me. I will assume full legal responsibility".