International Criminal Law, Complementarity and Amnesty Within the Context of Transitional Justice: Lessons from Uganda

Article

Kirabira, T. R. 2024. International Criminal Law, Complementarity and Amnesty Within the Context of Transitional Justice: Lessons from Uganda. International Criminal Law Review. 24 (5-6), pp. 759-772. https://doi.org/10.1163/15718123-bja10212
AuthorsKirabira, T. R.
Abstract

The article explores the domestic implementation of international criminal law and complementarity, when operating alongside parallel transitional justice approaches. International criminal justice in Uganda is best understood as part of the broader lens of transitional justice, in response to a two-decade war in the Northern part of the country. Besides a doctrinal analysis of the relevant legal regime and cases, the article benefits from the author’s personal insights working in Uganda and The Hague, the two sites of international justice that inform this article. Specifically, the International Crimes Division (ICD) which is the specialised court dealing with war crimes and crimes against humanity and the International Criminal Court (ICC). The article highlights critical paradoxes of the ICD and trial of former rebel Thomas Kwoyelo, putting this domesticated International Criminal Justice regime in a dilemma, also suggesting pathways for reforms.

KeywordsInternational Criminal Justice; International Criminal Court; Transitional Justice; Uganda
JournalInternational Criminal Law Review
Journal citation24 (5-6), pp. 759-772
ISSN1567-536X
1571-8123
Year2024
PublisherBrill Academic Publishers
Accepted author manuscript
License
File Access Level
Anyone
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1163/15718123-bja10212
Publication dates
Online23 Aug 2024
Publication process dates
Accepted30 Jul 2024
Deposited27 Aug 2024
Copyright holder© 2024, Brill Academic Publishers
Permalink -

https://repository.uel.ac.uk/item/8y289

Log in to edit

Download files

Accepted author manuscript
Kirabira-ICLA article 2024.pdf
License: All rights reserved
File access level: Anyone

  • 55
    total views
  • 87
    total downloads
  • 10
    views this month
  • 3
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Africa’s Blue Economy: What Role for Social Sustainability?
Kirabira, T., Choukroune, L. and Yuan, H. 2024. Africa’s Blue Economy: What Role for Social Sustainability? AfronomicsLaw.
Lord’s Resistance Army: ICC awards reparations to victims of commander Dominic Ongwen – what happens next
Kirabira, T. and Uche, M.C. 2024. Lord’s Resistance Army: ICC awards reparations to victims of commander Dominic Ongwen – what happens next. The Conversation.
UK and US may recognise state of Palestine after Gaza war – what this important step would mean
Kirabira, T. 2024. UK and US may recognise state of Palestine after Gaza war – what this important step would mean. The Conversation.
Feminist Judgments at the International Criminal Court: The Case of Dominic Ongwen
Kirabira, T., Ringin, A. and Grey, R. 2024. Feminist Judgments at the International Criminal Court: The Case of Dominic Ongwen. in: McLoughlin, K., Grey, R., Chappell, L. and Varrall, S. (ed.) Feminist Judgments: Re-imagining the International Criminal Court Cambridge Cambridge University Press.
British king acknowledges colonial atrocities in Kenya – here’s what could happen next
Kirabira, T. 2023. British king acknowledges colonial atrocities in Kenya – here’s what could happen next. The Conversation.
States and International Criminal Justice: COST CA18228 Scoping Survey
Aksamitowska, K., Andaya, R., Anosova, I., Aydın-Aitchison, A., Bernasol, J., Bhadra, P., Brandon, E., Buljubašić, M., Chakrabarty, I., Christensen, M. J., de León Agosto, L., Dobrovolskis, M., Emasealu, M., Gërdeci, A., Ghiasi, S., Gómez Alcorta, E., Hoffmann, T., Higgins, N., Hossain, M. P., Hronum, C., Jeiranashvili, N., Jusufi, I., Kirabira, T., Lingaas, C., Lohne, K., Maguire, G., Maljević, A., Mancini, M., Markevičiūtė, U., Martinaitytė, L., Matsiko, S., Mejía, G., Munivrana, M., Dalsgaard Nielsen, T. A., Oyewole, O., Radmanović, J., Ragaišytė, I. M., Ristivojević, B., Roksandić, S., Samardžić, S., Šestan, K., Steponavičiūtė, R., Stojanović, N, Švedas, G., Tamayo Gomez, C., Vegh Weis, V., Vosyliūtė, A., Holá, B., Rodrigues, F. and Vasiliev, S. 2023. States and International Criminal Justice: COST CA18228 Scoping Survey. Global Atrocity Justice Constellations. https://doi.org/10.7488/ds/7536
Intersection of Law, Religion, Customs, and the Problem of Child Marriage in Global South: A Comparative Study of India, Nigeria and Uganda
Kirabira, T., Mishra, N. and Onwubiko, J. N. 2023. Intersection of Law, Religion, Customs, and the Problem of Child Marriage in Global South: A Comparative Study of India, Nigeria and Uganda. in: John, M., Devaiah, V. H., Baruah, P., Tundawala, M. and Kumar, N. (ed.) The Indian Yearbook of Comparative Law 2020 Singapore Springer Singapore. pp. 247-274
Combating domestic violence and sexual and gender-based violence during conflict: the case of the Rohingyas in Myanmar and Bangladesh
Kirabira, T. and Lee Winter, F. 2023. Combating domestic violence and sexual and gender-based violence during conflict: the case of the Rohingyas in Myanmar and Bangladesh. in: Zhang, D. and Peterson, D. S. (ed.) International Responses to Gendered-Based Domestic Violence: Gender-Specific and Socio-Cultural Approaches New York Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. pp. 113-125
Uganda’s Post-War Transitional Justice Process: Have Housing, Land and Property Rights been Restored?
Kirabira, T. and Choukroune, L. 2023. Uganda’s Post-War Transitional Justice Process: Have Housing, Land and Property Rights been Restored? Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies. 14 (1), pp. 156-181. https://doi.org/10.1163/18781527-bja10063
Kenya and the ICC: law expert answers 4 questions following death of a key lawyer
Kirabira, T. 2022. Kenya and the ICC: law expert answers 4 questions following death of a key lawyer. The Conversation.
NGO roles in achieving Transitional Justice for crimes against the Rohingya
Kirabira, T. and Palmer, E. 2022. NGO roles in achieving Transitional Justice for crimes against the Rohingya. in: Hasan, M., Murshed, S.M. and Pillai, P. (ed.) The Rohingya Crisis: Humanitarian and Legal Approaches London Routledge. pp. 211-236
Book Review: Marketing Global Justice: The Political Economy of International Criminal Law by C. Schwöbel-Patel
Kirabira, T. and Sehmi, A. 2022. Book Review: Marketing Global Justice: The Political Economy of International Criminal Law by C. Schwöbel-Patel . Leiden Journal of International Law. 35 (3), pp. 725-729. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0922156522000279
NGOs and legitimacy of international criminal justice in Uganda
Kirabira, T. 2022. NGOs and legitimacy of international criminal justice in Uganda. in: Jeßberger, F., Steinl, L. and Mehta,K. (ed.) International Criminal Law – a Counter Hegemonic Project? The Hague, The Netherlands T.M.C. Asser Press. pp. 153–174
Book Review: Africa and the Backlash Against International Courts by Peter Brett and Line Engbo Gissel.
Kirabira, T. R. 2021. Book Review: Africa and the Backlash Against International Courts by Peter Brett and Line Engbo Gissel. Social and Legal Studies. 31 (2), pp. 340-343. https://doi.org/10.1177/09646639211032597
The Right to Live under Threat: On the Armed Forces (The Tatmadaw) Taking Power in Myanmar
Kirabira, T., Lee-Winter, F. and Collins, L. 2021. The Right to Live under Threat: On the Armed Forces (The Tatmadaw) Taking Power in Myanmar . Völkerrechtsblog. pp. 1-4. https://doi.org/10.17176/20210408-100939-0
Technology as a Key Tool for the Prosecution of International Crimes: Lessons from Uganda
Kirabira, T. 2021. Technology as a Key Tool for the Prosecution of International Crimes: Lessons from Uganda. International Criminal Law Review. 22 (5-6), pp. 1143-1167. https://doi.org/10.1163/15718123-bja10116
Ongwen at the International Criminal Court
Kirabira, T. 2021. Ongwen at the International Criminal Court. ASIL Insights. 25 (7), pp. 1-5.
NGO influence in global governance: achieving transitional justice in Uganda and beyond
Kirabira, T. 2021. NGO influence in global governance: achieving transitional justice in Uganda and beyond. Cambridge International Law Journal. 10 (2), pp. 280-299. https://doi.org/10.4337/cilj.2021.02.06
The International Criminal Court and the Transformation of Post-War Justice in Northern Uganda
Kirabira, T. and Miracle, U. 2021. The International Criminal Court and the Transformation of Post-War Justice in Northern Uganda. Sentio. 3, pp. 45-52.
Elements of aggravation in ICC sentencing: victim centred perspectives
Kirabira, T. 2021. Elements of aggravation in ICC sentencing: victim centred perspectives. Amsterdam Law Forum. 13 (2), pp. 25-42. https://doi.org/10.37974/ALF.406
Dossier: the stateless Rohingya — practical consequences of expulsion
Kirabira, T. and Lee-Winter, F. 2021. Dossier: the stateless Rohingya — practical consequences of expulsion. Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal. 15 (2), pp. 3-9. https://doi.org/10.5038/1911-9933.15.2.1863
Alternative justice for victims in Uganda: learning from the impact of COVID-19 on the court system
Kirabira, T. 2021. Alternative justice for victims in Uganda: learning from the impact of COVID-19 on the court system. Radical Review. 1, pp. 44-48.
The role of NGOs in the domestic implementation of the African Union Transitional Justice Policy Framework: perspectives from Uganda
Kirabira, T. 2021. The role of NGOs in the domestic implementation of the African Union Transitional Justice Policy Framework: perspectives from Uganda. African Human Rights Yearbook. 22 (5), pp. 180-201. https://doi.org/10.29053/2523-1367/2021/v5a9
Surrender of Ali Kushayb and Paul Gicheru: New Perspectives in Africa’s Relationship with the ICC
Kirabira, T. 2021. Surrender of Ali Kushayb and Paul Gicheru: New Perspectives in Africa’s Relationship with the ICC. NYU Journal of International Law and Politics. 54 (1), pp. 23-33.
New digital media: freedom of expression and safeguarding journalists in the context of East Africa
Kirabira, T. 2020. New digital media: freedom of expression and safeguarding journalists in the context of East Africa. Cross-Cultural Human Rights Review. 2 (1), pp. 49-71. https://doi.org/10.52854/cchrr.39
Fixing the missing link in foreign investment
Kirabira, T. 2020. Fixing the missing link in foreign investment. in: Nabwowe Kasule, A. and Mncwabe, N. (ed.) Economic and Social Rights Advocacy (ESRA) Brief: 2021 General Elections: Voting fror Quality Service Delivery Kampala, Uganda Initiative for Social and Economic Rights. pp. 45-46
Establishing Accountability for Gross Human Rights Violations: an Analysis of the Rohingya conflict
Kirabira, T. 2020. Establishing Accountability for Gross Human Rights Violations: an Analysis of the Rohingya conflict. Humanitäres Völkerrecht. 3 (1-2), pp. 141-158. https://doi.org/10.35998/huv-2020-0009