Africa and the International Justice: a shaky relationship

  • María del Ángel Iglesias Vázquez Universidad Internacional de La Rioja
Keywords: Africa, Gacaca, regional justice, hybrids and local courts, International Criminal Court

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to raise the issue of the relationship between African States and international justice, particularly regarding the International Criminal Court. It shows that, while the Malabo Protocol has not been as successful as its drafters had hoped, regional justice has proved its effectiveness. Various factors, such as the feeling of being the focus of The Hague, the double standard of the International Criminal Court’s actions, or an attack on the sovereignty of States, have led to the revival of an African judicial nationalism that seems to be materializing in the creation of hybrid courts or in a parallel domestic justice together with the establishment of restorative and transitional justice processes in Africa. Regional and local justice rather than international justice, is called upon to provide appropriate justice by investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators of international crimes on the continent.

Received: 04 March 2020
Accepted: 12 November 2020

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Published
2020-12-20
How to Cite
Iglesias Vázquez, María del Ángel. 2020. “Africa and the International Justice: A Shaky Relationship”. Deusto Journal of Human Rights, no. 6 (December), 153-77. https://doi.org/10.18543/djhr.1910.
Section
Articles