The China Tribunal
The Court’s Prosecutors presented an indictment for confirmation of charges before trial, including the Crime of Aggression, Crimes against Humanity and Genocide, against the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping.
“We all know there was an effort to prevent this court from meeting. There were threats from the Chinese directed towards the owners and administration”
- Judge Zak Yacoob
7th - 12th July 2024
The Court considered charges against Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China for evidence of the self determination of the Taiwanese people and the crime of aggression against Taiwan and neighbouring states; crimes against humanity in Tibet; and crimes against humanity and genocide against the Uyghur population in Xinjiang. The Tribunal proceedings provided a platform to highlighting the plight of victims and served as a blueprint to prosecute such crimes in an international court or national courts under the principles of universal jurisdiction.
Witnesses and victims travelled to the Hague to testify during the proceedings and defence counsel vigorously tested the evidence presented. The panel of highly distinguished Judges scrutinized the evidence supporting the allegations and confirmed all the charges of crimes against humanity and genocide. The Judgements published in Opinio Juris can be accessed here:
A hearing for broader victims of the Chinese Communist Party regime took place on Sunday 7th July. The victims who travelled to the Hague in person were filmed in closed proceedings and live streamed sharing their moving testimonies of persecution and injustice.
The Israel & Palestine Summit on ICC Arrest Warrant Applications
13th July 2024
Following the application for the arrest warrants against the leaders of Israel—Prime Minister of Israel BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, the defense minister YOAV GALLANT—and the leaders of Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, also known as Hamas—Former Prime Minister ISMAIL HANIYEH, Hamas Chief in Gaza YAHYA SINWAR and Head of the Military Wing MOHAMMED DEIF—the Summit brought together distinguished experts, practitioners, and advocates from different backgrounds in discussion on the following panels:
Legal Grounds for ICC Actions
The Evolving Definition of War Crimes and the Borderlines of Appropriate Military Action in Gaza
The Crime of Aggression and the Kampala Amendment: Evolving Statutes for the ICC on the Crime of Aggression
How Governments Should Engage with Judicial Processes at the ICC
The Summit featured the following distinguished experts, politicians, advocates:
GEOFFREY ROBERTSON KC: Founder and joint head of Doughty Street Chambers, author, barrister and academic
Hon. Amb. STEPHEN RAPP: Former US Ambassador-at-large for global criminal justice
Prof. Dr. HERTA DÄUBLER-GMELIN: Former German Minister of Justice
Prof. DAVID CRANE: Founding Chief Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone
SILVIA ARBIA: Former Chief of Prosecutions at ICTR. Former ICC Registrar with extensive experience in international criminal justice administration
Live Updates
The China Tribunal was live-streamed daily from The Hague.
The China Tribunal Live Stream: 12.07.2024
The China Tribunal Live Stream: 11.07.2024
Summary of the First Day of the China Tribunal. 08.07.2024, The Hague.
The Opening of the China Tribunal
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Co-Patron Oleksandra Matviichuk on Impunity in Russia and China
Proceedings began on Monday, July 8 2024, with evidence of Taiwan's statehood and right to self-determination, followed by Chinese aggression in Taiwan and neighbouring regions. The tribunal then considered crimes against humanity in Tibet and genocide against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang. Expert witnesses and victims provided detailed accounts of these alleged crimes. The tribunal will conclude with final arguments and the judges' deliberation, leading to the public announcement of the verdict.
The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk addressed the opening of the Court session yesterday with a speech delivered personally for The CCW China Tribunal.
"If we want to fight for justice, we have to fight for justice globally. And that is why it's so important to stop human suffering and human rights violations in China, because countries which prosecute their own civil society, jail tech activists, kill journalists, disperse peaceful demonstrations, such a country poses a threat, not only for their own citizens, but also for the entire world, because peace and human rights are inextricably linked”.
Victim Testimonies
“This warrant was the turning point of my life when I knew there was no more place for me in Tibet”.
Guoluo Juimei, Monk from Labrang Monastery
“I was beaten by police who did not talk at all, until all my clothes were wet with blood. I heard someone saying you have to stop otherwise he will die, and the police were saying just kill him. They took me into custody and they kept beating me. The worst thing was they were beating me by the guns big handle, it feels like torture.”
Jigme Golok, Tibetan Bhuddist Monk and Former Political Prisoner
Legal Panel
Meet the Members of the Panel of Judges and Prosecutors
-
![]()
Stephen Rapp
PRESIDING JUDGE
The Hon. Amb. Stephen Rapp, head judge for the Tribunal, former US Ambassador-at-large for global criminal justice, appointed by Obama, former Chief Prosecutor for the Special Court of Sierra Leone where he led the prosecution for the former Liberian President Charles Taylor, and has served as senior trial attorney and chief of Prosecutions at International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
-
![]()
Bhavani Fonseka
JUDGE
Bhavani Fonseka is a prominent Sri Lankan constitutional and human rights lawyer and activist. She is a researcher and Attorney at Law in the Centre for Policy Alternative, a member of the policy committee of Human Rights Watch and counsel to the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.
-
![]()
Zak Yacoob
JUDGE
Zac Yacoob is a retired South African judge who served the maximum 15 year term in the constitutional court of South Africa appointed by Nelson Mandela. Before joining the Bench he was a practising advocate and anti apartheid activist.
-
![]()
Jonathan Rees KC
PROSECUTOR
Jonathan Rees KC has a heavyweight practice in complex international crime. He is a member of the lists of counsel for the International Criminal Court and has defended in the Trial Chamber of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and appeared as first Appellant in proceedings before the Court of Appeals Panel for the same.
-
![]()
Lyma Nguyen
PROSECUTOR
Lyma Nguyen is an internationally recognised barrister and expert in international criminal law and human rights. She is on the List of Counsel at the International Criminal Court, and served for more than a decade at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia playing a crucial role in representing victims of the Khmer Rouge regime. She is a member of the Legal Advisory Committee of the International Criminal Bar Association.
-
![]()
Daniel Arshack
DEFENCE
Dan Arschack is an American criminal defence attorney, co founder of The Bronx Defenders, managing partner of the law firm Arshack, Hajek and Lehrman, PLLC and a founding member of the International Criminal Bar.
-
![]()
Steve Kelliher
DEFENCE
Steven Kelliher has been a leading criminal and civil courtroom lawyer for the past 40 years and acted as Counsel in over 100 reported cases. He is former Vice-President of the International Criminal Bar and served as Defence Counsel at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
-
![]()
Gilbert Andres
DEFENCE
Gilbert Andres is Senior partner at Butuyan & Rayel Law Offices in the Philippines, specialising in international human rights law, international humanitarian law and criminal law.
War and Justice Film Screening
Friday, 12th July 2024
A screening of the documentary War and Justice on the history of the ICC, by Marcus Vetter, was held in the Hague with an introduction and Q&A session by the filmmaker Marcus Vetter and opening remarks by Luis Moreno-Ocampo (the ICC’s first prosecutor) whom the Court introduced to one another.
Recent Initiatives
Join The Court of Citizens of the World and become an active participant in global justice.
Be Part of The Court
Join as a Volunteer - The Court of the Citizens of the World
If you have a passion for community service and want to make a difference, join us as a volunteer at The Court of Citizens. Work with a dedicated team to improve our community and gain valuable experiences.
Apply on LinkedIn
