Law as our last compass
Young girls raped in DRC. Chemical weapons used in Syria. Countless disappearances in Mexico, complete impunity in Nepal and unimpeded tortures in Burundi.
2016 has brought its lot of horrors and when time comes to take stock, the temptation to give up is strong. But in a world that has lost its bearings, we can only reassert the importance of justice – not as a moral posture, but as a real force of change.
Take conflict-related sexual violence. Long-since considered as war collateral damage, they are increasingly prosecuted for what they are: intolerable crimes.
In 2016, the lines have shifted in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in DRC and elsewhere. TRIAL International has fought tirelessly for perpetrators to be condemned, reparations awarded, laws amended. But the credit goes mainly to victims, whose unwavering tenacity has brought the fight against impunity forward.
The courage of those victims and their thirst for justice should be our compass. And the compass always points in the same direction: straight ahead!
Message from the outgoing President
During my six-year Presidency, I was proud to witness TRIAL International’s rise. The NGO has undergone a complete mutation: its budget has almost tripled, its geographical spectrum has broadened, its teams have grown and the organization reached an international scope. Today, TRIAL is primed to face the challenges ahead.
As my mandate comes to a close, I wish to convey an optimistic message to those who support us. Human rights have made huge leaps since the end of World War II. Never has the legal arsenal been so complete, nor NGOs fighting impunity been so numerous.
I therefore encourage TRIAL International to pursue its mission with its usual tenacity. Prosecuting the powerful requires courage. And TRIAL has never lacked any.
Investigations and criminal law
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Nepal
Burundi
The political crisis in Burundi has persisted throughout 2016. For the second consecutive year, Pierre Nkurunziza’s government clung to power, brutally repressing all dissidence. The authorities cut ties with the international community, including the UN Committee against Torture and the International Criminal Court.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Aware that 2016 would be a politically sensitive year, TRIAL International conducted an early risk assessment with expert NGOs Protection Internationale and the International NGO Safety Organization. Thankfully, these precautionary measures proved sufficient and the NGO was able to carry out its actions as planned.