Sexual Crimes in Conflict Database

A collection of relevant literature and case law

Showing all 5 results.
  • Literature

    Goldstone, Richard - Prosecuting Rape as a War Crime

    Year
    2002
    Issues
    Sexual Violence against Men Definitions/Elements of Sexual Violence Crimes
    Country
    Rwanda, Former Yugoslavia
    Keywords
    Form of Aggression Akayesu Mass Rape Mental Harm Outrages upon Personal Dignity

    Reference link
    https://scholarlycommons.law.case.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1461&amp=&context=jil&amp=&sei-redir=1&referer=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.bing.com%252Fsearch%253Fq%253DGoldstone%252C%252BRichard%252C%252B%252522Prosecuting%252BRape%252Bas%252Ba%252BWar%252BCrime%2526src%253DIE-TopResult%2526FORM%253DIETR02%2526conversationid%253D#search=%22Goldstone%2C%20Richard%2C%20Prosecuting%20Rape%20as%20War%20Crime%22
    Full reference
    Goldstone, Richard, "Prosecuting Rape as a War Crime", in Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law, 2002, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 277-285.
    Type of literature
    Journal Article
    Research focus
    Investigation, Prosecution and Prevention of Conflict related Sexual Violence
    Author
    Goldstone, Richard
    Type of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal/Court
    Name of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY)

  • Jurisprudence judicial mechanism

    IACtHR - Raquel Marti de Mejía v. Peru

    Year
    1996
    Issues
    Definitions/Elements of Sexual Violence Crimes
    Country
    Peru
    Keywords
    Discrimination Definition of Rape Outrages upon Personal Dignity Right to an Effective Remedy State Responsibility Rape, Torture Private Life

    Reference link
    http://cidh.org/annualrep/95eng/Peru10970.htm
    Type of mechanism
    Regional court
    Name of mechanism
    Inter-American Court of Human Rights
    Status
    2715
    Findings
    The IACHR acknowledged that rape could rise to the level of torture, an aggravated form of inhumane treatment, which is prohibited by Article 5(2) of the ACHR. The Court held that rape constitutes torture, in line with the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane and Degrading Treatment or Punishment, if the rape was: “1) an intentional act through which physical and mental pain and suffering is inflicted on a person; 2) committed with a purpose; and 3) committed by a public official or by a private person acting at the instigation of the former.” As to the case of Mejía, the IACtHR established that rape as torture had been committed against her: “Raquel Mejía was a victim of rape, which caused her physical and mental pain and suffering (…) [She] was raped with the aim of punishing her personally and intimidating her (…) [T]he man who raped [her] was a member of the security forces.” The IACtHR thus concluded that the rape of Mejía amounted to torture and since an official of the Peruvian state perpetrated the rape, the IACtHR attributed responsibility for the rape to Peru. The IACtHR urged Peru to punish the perpetrators and pay the victim fair compensation. In addition, the IACtHR also emphasized that rape not only constitutes a severe violation of Article 5 of the ACHR, but also amounts to a violation of Article 11 of the ACHR (the right to privacy by safeguarding the right to have “honor respected” and “dignity recognized”). The IACtHR explained that it “considers that sexual abuse (…) implies a deliberate outrage to [the victim’s] dignity. In this respect, it becomes a question that is included in the concept of “private life”. The IACtHR concluded that the offender abrogated Mejía’s right to privacy when he raped her. It attributed responsibility for the Article 11 violations to the Peruvian state because a public official perpetrated the rape and encouraged Peru to hold the offenders accountable. Lastly, the IACtHR held that Peru’s failure to act with due diligence in guaranteeing Mrs. Mejía’s right to an effective judicial recourse for the human rights violations she and her husband, Mr. Mejía, suffered constituted a violation of Articles 1(1) (Right to non-discrimination), 8(1) (Right to due process), and 25 (Right to an effective recourse) of the ACHR.
    Case number
    Case 10.970
    Reparations / awards
    The IACtHR attributed responsibility for the rape to Peru. The IACtHR urged Peru to punish the perpetrators and pay the victim fair compensation.

  • Jurisprudence judicial mechanism

    ICTR - Justin Mugenzi (Bizimungu et al. “Government II”)

    Country
    Rwanda
    Keywords
    Acquittal Command Responsibility Insufficient Evidence Outrages upon Personal Dignity

    Reference link
    http://unictr.unmict.org/en/cases/ictr-99-50
    Type of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal/Court
    Name of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)
    Name of accused
    Justin Mugenzi
    Charges
    Mugenzi was charged in the indictment with:Rape as a crime against humanity and outrages upon personal dignity as a violation of Article 3 common to the Geneva Conventions and of Additional Protocol II as war crimes under Articles 6(1) and 6(3).However, the charges were not substantiated with material facts related to the sexual violence.
    Trial chamber verdict
    Mid-trial, in 2005, Mugenzi was acquitted of the sexual violence charges due to a lack of evidence (See the Decision on Defense Motions Pursuant to Rule 98bis). Mugenzi was acquitted by the Trial Chamber (on 30 September 2011) on the sexual violence counts, but not for conspiracy to commit genocide and direct and public incitement to commit genocide (for other – non sexual violence – crimes).
    Appeals chamber verdict
    Mugenzi was acquitted by the Appeals Chamber on 4 February 2014 (on all counts).
    Status
    2715
    Case number
    ICTR-99-50

  • Jurisprudence judicial mechanism

    ICTR - Prosper Mugiraneza (Bizimungu et al. “Government II”)

    Country
    Rwanda
    Keywords
    Acquittal Command Responsibility Genocide Insufficient Evidence Outrages upon Personal Dignity

    Reference link
    http://unictr.unmict.org/en/cases/ictr-99-50
    Type of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal/Court
    Name of mechanism
    International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)
    Name of accused
    Prosper Mugiraneza
    Charges
    Mugiraneza was charged in the indictment with:- Rape as a crime against humanity and outrages upon personal dignity as a violation of Article 3 common to the Geneva Conventions and of Additional Protocol II as war crimes under Articles 6(1) and 6(3).
    Trial chamber verdict
    The charges were not substantiated with material facts related to the sexual violence.Mid-trial, in 2005, Mugiraneza was acquitted of the sexual violence charges due to a lack of evidence (See the Decision on Defense Motions Pursuant to Rule 98bis). Mugiraneza was acquitted by the Trial Chamber on the sexual violence counts, but not for conspiracy to commit genocide and direct and public incitement to commit genocide (for other – non sexual violence – crimes).
    Appeals chamber verdict
    Mugiraneza was acquitted by the Appeals Chamber on 4 February 2014 (on all counts).
    Status
    2715
    Case number
    ICTR-99-50

  • Literature

    Oosterveld, Valerie - Gender and the Charles Taylor Case...

    Year
    2012
    Issues
    Achievements and Challenges of Sexual Violence Prosecution Definitions/Elements of Sexual Violence Crimes Modes of Liability
    Country
    Sierra Leone
    Keywords
    Sexual Slavery Forced Marriage Outrages upon Personal Dignity Responsibility Enslavement

    Reference link
    https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1110&context=lawpub
    Full reference
    Oosterveld, Valerie, "Gender and the Charles Taylor Case at the Special Court for Sierra Leone", in Wm. & Mary J. Women & L., 2012-2013, vol. 19, no. 7, pp. 7-33.
    Type of literature
    Journal Article
    Research focus
    Gaps in the Jurisprudence and Legislation on Conflict-related Sexual Violence crimes
    Author
    Oosterveld, Valerie
    Type of mechanism
    Hybrid court
    Name of mechanism
    Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL)

This is free software. Created with LinkAhead and Django. Licenced under AGPL version 3.0 (Sources).