Asser Institute – The Ljubljana–The Hague Convention: International cooperation in fighting impunity for international crimes

A new international convention, the Ljubljana-The Hague Convention, which was adopted in May 2023 by 68 countries, will be opened for signature on 14 February 2024. Together with the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security, the Asser Institute will organise a seminar on the new treaty, which will take place in the Peace Palace in The Hague on 15 February, one day after the official signing ceremony.

Context:

The Ljubljana-The Hague Convention is a landmark international treaty that aims to strengthen international cooperation in investigating and prosecuting genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other international crimes. The treaty makes cooperation mandatory for all state parties.

A process led by by Argentina, Belgium, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Senegal, and Slovenia, it is the first international treaty to provide a comprehensive framework for mutual legal assistance and extradition for these crimes. It empowers national justice systems and allows for states to fulfil their international legal obligations in the fight against impunity for international crimes.

Programme:

9.00 – 9.30 Welcome and registration

9.30 – 09.35 Start symposium & welcome on behalf of the Ministry of Justice and Security

9.35 – 19.45 Opening statement Minister of Justice Slovenia Dominika Švarc Pipan

9.45 – 11.15 Panel round 1 – Theme: International cooperation related to the investigation and prosecution of core international crimes

11.15 – 11.45 Coffee break

11.45 – 13.15 Panel round 2 – Theme: The role of CSOs and other organizations in supporting national investigation and prosecution of core international crimes

13.15 – 13.25 Closing remarks by Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi – President of the MLA Diplomatic Conference 2023

13.25 – 14.15 Lunch and networking 

Speakers:

Panel 1

Moderator: Mr. Matevz Pezdirc (Eurojust)

• Mame Mandiaye Niang, ICC Deputy Prosecutor
• Leonardo Filippini, national Prosecutor, Argentina
• Larissa van den Herik, Professor of Public International Law at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies at Leiden University.
• Ousman Njikam, Deputy Registrar, CAR Special Criminal Court (SCC)

Panel 2

Moderator: Dr Christophe Paulussen (Asser Institute) 

• Yasmine Chubin, Legal Advocacy Director at The Docket, Clooney Foundation
• Catherine Marchi-Uhel, Head of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011 (IIIM)
• Alejandra Vicente, Head of Law, Redress
• Maarten van der Vlugt, Prosecutor, Netherlands Public Prosecutor’s Office