Melanie – CPIJ

Dec 09

Sosa Orantes case: Canada could end 40 years of impunity

By Melanie News, Press Releases

December 7^th 2022, Quebec City – Lawyers Without Borders Canada (LWBC), in collaboration with the Canadian Partnership for International Justice (CPIJ), calls again on the Canadian government to reconsider its decision not to pursue criminal charges against Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes, who is suspected of having participated in the Las Dos Erres massacre in Guatemala 40 years ago today.

On December 7th 1982, the village of Las Dos Erres was ravaged by a special unit of the Guatemalan forces in which Sosa Orantes served as second lieutenant. Almost the entire population was murdered. Only a handful of children survived, including Ramiro Osorio Cristales, now a Canadian citizen. LWBC, with the support of the CPIJ, is accompanying him in his quest for justice.

The Canadian government initiated proceedings in 2017 to revoke Mr. Sosa Orantes’ Canadian citizenship before the Federal Court. In a May 2022 statement, LWBC and the CPIJ demonstrated the existence of significant risks that he would never face trial if he were to be deported. Despite the support of 20 organizations, the statementignored by the authorities.

The Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act gives the Canadian government the power to initiate criminal proceedings against Mr. Sosa Orantes, ending 40 years of impunity in this case.

LWBC, along with the CPIJ, has repeatedly reminded the Canadian government of its power over the past two years. These calls have gone unanswered.

In May 2022, LWBC went to Ottawa with survivor Ramiro Osorio Cristales to request a meeting with the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the Honourable David Lametti, to press for criminal charges. The door was closed to them.

On this day of commemoration of the Las Dos Erres tragedy, which happened exactly 40 years ago, in solidarity with Ramiro Osorio Cristales, who every day runs the risk of meeting one of those who committed this horrendous crime, and with all the survivors of the massacre as well as their loved ones, LWBC and the CPIJ once again call on the Canadian government to show courage and bring Mr. Sosa Orantes to justice.

Canada has recently expressed a strong commitment to international criminal justice by being one of the first countries to support investigations into crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Ukraine. This commitment, which is to be welcomed, should also be translated into an unequivocal refusal to allow Canadian territory to harbour individuals suspected of the most serious crimes.

Dec 01

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Canadian Partnership for International Justice wins SSHRC 2022 Partnership Award

By Melanie CPIJ in the Media, News, Press Releases

Today, December 1, 2022, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) will present the 2022 Partnership Award to the Canadian Partnership for International Justice (CPIJ) during a televised ceremony at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

The award recognizes the contribution of a SSHRC-funded partnership that, through mutual co-operation and shared intellectual leadership and resources, has demonstrated impact and influence within or beyond the social sciences and humanities research community. The award is one of five Impact Awards which recognize the achievements of Canada’s top researchers in social sciences and humanities.

Led by Professor Fannie Lafontaine (Université Laval), the CPIJ is a pan-Canadian partnership of 25 researchers from 8 universities, 4 university-based legal clinics and 3 non-governmental organizations, which aims to strengthen access to justice for victims of international crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

CPIJ’s activities emphasized the urgency of addressing violent crisis to prevent atrocities, punish perpetrators, reconcile victims and perpetrators, and identify the root causes of these crisis in order to achieve a stable peace. Everywhere, in specialized forums or in the field, close to the fieldworkers, CPIJ has brought together, trained, informed, connected and sensitized thousands of people.

In addition to contributing to the defence of human rights and the construction of a just and inclusive society, CPIJ changed the way research is done by establishing a cross-sectoral collaboration between universities, legal clinics, NGOs and international organizations which provides cross-sectional views on the challenges of the fight against impunity, where each person’s expertise is shared and nourished by those of others.

Through this collective and inclusive approach, CPIJ promoted access to justice for victims of serious human rights violations. Its work was a milestone in the fight against systemic racism and discrimination in Canada and beyond. By organizing more than 60 events of all kinds and producing more than 200 scholarly texts that have been disseminated in several languages, including to civil society, through media articles, blogs and interviews, CPIJ increased knowledge on international justice and raised awareness about the fight against impunity.

In particular, it helped to create a multinational cohort of students (600 of whom were trained in legal clinics) with the knowledge, practical training and diverse network who are the future of international justice.

The award, which comes with a $50,000 grant, will enable CPIJ to continue and promote its research.

Oct 17

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Conference “Lawyers Without Borders Belgium-Lawyers Without Borders Canada: Decades of Fighting for Human Rights”

By Melanie Upcoming Events

Lawyers Without Borders Canada and Lawyers Without Borders Belgium celebrate their anniversaries together! Come and listen to the executive directors of both organizations share their respective experiences in human rights advocacy, from their beginnings to the current challenges of international cooperation. The impact of shrinking democratic spaces on the missions of human rights organizations and the place of the next generation in their projects will also be discussed.

Speakers:

Chantal Van Cutsem, Lawyers Without Borders Belgium executive director
Pascal Paradis, Lawyers Without Borders Canada executive director
Mathilde Doucet, PhD sutdent, Faculty of Law, Université Laval and intern at LWBC
Virginie Lefèbvre, research professional in charge of the Clinique de droit international pénal et humanitaire
Florian Manuch, PhD sutdent, Faculty of Law, Université Laval

Organized in collaboration with:

Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Room 2419, Charles-De Koninck Building

For information
cdiph.admin@fd.ulaval.ca

Registration Required – Registration Form

Registration Form

May 31

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Victim of a massacre; the Canadian government ignores his call for help

By Melanie Communiqués de presse, News

May 30, 2022, Ottawa – The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, David Lametti, today refused to meet with Ramiro Osorio Cristales, one of the only survivors of a terrible massacre in Guatemala. Mr. Osorio Cristales, a Canadian citizen, has long demanded that Canada try Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes, an alleged war criminal who actively participated in the massacre and who now lives in Canada, having obtained Canadian citizenship.

Lawyers Without Borders Canada (LWBC), which is accompanying Mr. Osorio Cristales and the Guatemalan association of relatives of the victims of the massacre (Familiares de desaparecidos de Guatemala – FAMDEGUA) in their quest for justice, was also present in Ottawa, on his behalf and as a representative of the Canadian Partnership for International Justice (CPIJ), to call on Minister Lametti to act. The Minister has the authority – indeed the duty – under the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act, as outlined in a statement supported by 18 organizations, which was prepared by LWBC in collaboration with CPIJ.

In 1982, the special unit of which Mr. Sosa Orantes was an officer entered the Guatemalan village of Las Dos Erres and massacred almost the entire civilian population, systematically exterminating men, women, children and newborns. Ramiro Osorio Cristales, then five years old, was one of only two survivors of this massacre.

In the statement, LWBC, CPIJ and the 18 supporting organizations call on:

the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program to review and document all allegations against Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes and to submit a request to the Attorney General of Canada to authorize a prosecution under the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act;
the Attorney General of Canada to consent to the prosecution of Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the massacre of Las Dos Erres;
the Canadian government to assume its responsibilities towards alleged war criminals in Canada by activating its Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program and ensuring that it has the necessary means to implement Canada’s obligations to fight impunity for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Between June and August 2021, LWBC and CPIJ made numerous calls to the government to take action on this issue. These calls went unanswered.

Canada was one of the first countries to support investigations into crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Ukraine since the Russian invasion. This strong commitment to international criminal justice must be equally strong in Canada. It is time for the Canadian government to act with courage by taking concrete steps to bring Mr. Sosa Orantes to justice. It is not acceptable that Mr. Sosa Orantes – who Canada itself says has committed crimes against humanity – continues to live freely on Canadian soil without being held accountable for these crimes.

Quotes

“I fled to Canada to live in safety, which I have been able to do for the past twenty years. This is no longer the case, one of the criminals who massacred my family, my friends, my village, lives freely in the country. Today, I am confident that the Canadian government will do the right thing: I ask the Minister of Justice, Mr. David Lametti, to initiate criminal proceedings against Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes.”

– Ramiro Osorio Cristales, survivor of the Las Dos Erres massacre

“Last June, we asked the government to act on the case of Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes. Almost a year later, we are still waiting for the government to act. Today, 18 organizations are joining Lawyers Without Borders Canada in calling for the same thing. Simply revoking citizenship is not enough. To truly fight impunity, Canada must take its responsibilities and bring Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes to justice to face charges of crimes against humanity.

– Pascal Paradis, Executive Director of LWBC

View the complete press record here.

Feb 08

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2022 Katia-Boustany Conference «Faire et quitter son nid: retour vers le futur du droit international pénal et humanitaire»

By Melanie News, Upcoming Events

On February 22, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the SQDI’s 2022 Katia-Boustany Conferene invites you to travel back in time with professors William A. Schabas and Eric David!

Moderated by Professors Julia Grignon and Fannie Lafontaine, the lecture will revisit the most significant developments of the last 40 years in international criminal and humanitarian law, and will consider the different challenges that these fields of international law will face in the next 4 decades.

The conference is the work of a broad partnership, co-organized at Université Laval by the SQDI, the Canada Research Chair on International Criminal Justice and Fundamental Rights, the International Criminal and Humanitarian Law Clinic, the Osons le DIH! partnership development, the research project on the extraterritorial application of international human rights law, and the Canadian Partnership for International Justice, in collaboration with Quid Justitiae.

The conference will be presented online on the Zoom platform. Free admission.

Certificates of attendance will be issued to registered participants only.

Nov 16

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Conference “The long march towards justice: reflections on the last 40 years of hopes and disappointments”

By Melanie Upcoming Events

Juriste, négociateur et homme politique, Romeo Saganash a défendu pendant toute sa carrière les droits de la personne, en particulier ceux des Premières Nations. À l’occasion d’une conférence qui se déroulera le 24 novembre prochain, et dans un contexte où les injustices et les problèmes juridiques auxquels sont confrontés les peuples autochtones occupent plus que jamais l’espace public, il exposera les grands défis de sa carrière et échangera sur la transformation du discours politique.

Quoi :	Conférence « La longue marche vers la justice : réflexions des 40 dernières années d’espoirs et de déceptions »
Quand :	24 novembre 2021 de 11 h 30 à 13 h
Où :	Amphithéâtre Hydro-Québec, Pavillon Alphonse-Desjardins*

L’inscription à cette activité est obligatoire: https://bit.ly/3Fc7dFb

La conférence est organisée par la Faculté de droit de l’Université Laval en collaboration avec le Partenariat canadien pour la justice internationale, la Chaire de recherche du Canada pour la justice internationale et les droits fondamentaux et le Centre interuniversitaire d’études et de recherches autochtones.

*Veuillez noter qu’un passeport vaccinal ainsi qu’une pièce d’identité seront exigés à l’entrée de la salle.

Détails et informations : evenements@fd.ulaval.ca

Nov 01

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Antigua and Barbuda and Tuvalu to seek Justice for Climate Change damage before International Courts

By Melanie Communiqués de presse, News, Press Releases

Embassy of Antigua and Barbuda – Press Release

Edinburgh, October 31st, 2021… The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda – current Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) – and the Prime Minister of Tuvalu today signed an historic accord that opens the way for ground-breaking litigation before international courts. This offers a novel legal path to address the severe damage to Small Island States caused by climate change.

The Agreement establishes a Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law, creating a body for the development and implementation of fair and just global environmental norms and practices.  The Commission is also authorized to request advisory opinions from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) on the legal responsibility of States for carbon emissions, marine pollution, and rising sea levels. 

Membership in the Commission is open to all Small Island States whose leaders have long complained about the absence of effective mechanisms for States most responsible for climate change to compensate for the resulting loss and damage.

At the signing ceremony in Edinburgh, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, explained that: “Small Island States’ emission of greenhouse gases is negligible, but they bear the overwhelming burden of its catastrophic effects, including persistent destruction, repeated costs of rebuilding and huge debts to finance resilience.  This injustice must end.    We insist that those States most responsible for this dire situation respect their legal obligations to stop global warming and to provide compensation to its victims.  The time for empty promises is over.”  Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Kausea Natano, stressed that: “For us, climate justice is a matter of survival.  Rising sea levels, extreme weather events, the decline of marine resources – these threaten our very existence.  We see better than anyone else what is being done to our beautiful planet.  It is time to put words into action, to save Small Island States, and to save the world from impending disaster.”

The legal counsel to the Commission, Professor Payam Akhavan of Massey College, University of Toronto, and Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, said that: “Small Island States are the canary in the coalmine of climate catastrophe.  Their fate is a warning to all humankind that the disastrous consequences of global warming are happening now, not in a distant future.  The fundamental principle of international law not to cause harm to others has now taken on an unprecedented dimension.  This historic initiative to pursue climate justice should be welcome by all who care about the future of our planet.”

For media enquires please contact: COSIS.COP26@gmail.com

Read the Agreement for the establishment of COSIS. (PDF, 3,6 Mo)

Oct 29

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LWBC Annual Forum

By Melanie Funding Opportunities, Student opportunity, Upcoming Events

LWBC forum

CPIJ is proud to partner with Lawyers Without Borders Canada (LWBC) for the 2021 edition of its annual forum titled “Residential Schools: Truth, Justice and Healing – International Exchanges”. The event brings together many important actors in international human rights law and is intended for practitioners and law students.

The two-day Forum is composed of four half-day sessions. Each session addresses a key societal issue: truth-seeking, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-repetition.

Firstly, CPIJ is offering five (5) scholarships to students who wish to attend the Forum. The value is $20. Priority will be given to First Nations students.

Secondly, CPIJ is looking for seven (7) students interested in attending the Forum to take notes during the sessions and write a blog post. The blog post will be published on the Quid Justitiae blog (or a blog of your choice) during a multi-day seminar. Students will receive a $200 scholarship upon publication.

The post must include a detailed summary of the panel covered, the main objective being to bring the content of the Forum into the public domain. However, the student might include a critical commentary and additional content, including multimedia. The post must be between 1,500 and 2,500 words in length and written in English or French.

Students will have ten (10) days to submit their entry. The essay will then be edited. The registration fees of the selected students will be covered by the CJIP.

Apply for any of these scholarships before November 2.

APPLY NOW

Oct 27

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Changing Canada’s Extradition Laws: The Halifax Colloquium’s Proposals for Law Reform

By Melanie News

The report released in October 2021 states the Canadian process for sending people to face prosecution and incarceration abroad is riddled with shortcomings that make the system inherently unjust.

The recommendations for change come from the Halifax Colloquium on Extradition Law Reform at Dalhousie University in September 2018, which brought together academics, defence counsel and human rights organizations.

Funding for the Halifax Colloquium on Extradition Law Reform was provided by the Canadian Partnership for International Justice (CPIJ). The Colloquium was hosted and hospitality was provided by the MacEachen Institute for Public Policy, Dalhousie University. The Human Rights Research and Education Centre (HRREC) at the University of Ottawa kindly arranged for translation of this document.

This document was prepared by Professor Robert J. Currie of the Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, and represents the consensus of the participants in the colloquium.

Read the report. (PDF, 300 Ko)

Sosa Orantes case: Canada could end 40 years of impunity

Canadian Partnership for International Justice wins SSHRC 2022 Partnership Award

Conference “Lawyers Without Borders Belgium-Lawyers Without Borders Canada: Decades of Fighting for Human Rights”

Victim of a massacre; the Canadian government ignores his call for help

2022 Katia-Boustany Conference «Faire et quitter son nid: retour vers le futur du droit international pénal et humanitaire»

Conference “The long march towards justice: reflections on the last 40 years of hopes and disappointments”

Antigua and Barbuda and Tuvalu to seek Justice for Climate Change damage before International Courts

Embassy of Antigua and Barbuda – Press Release

LWBC Annual Forum

Changing Canada’s Extradition Laws: The Halifax Colloquium’s Proposals for Law Reform

LWBC Annual Forum Application Form

Participation to the LWBC Annual Forum / Participation au Forum annuel ASFC

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