© Photo by Beatrice Murch via Flickr
International Peace & Security Section
Indonesia: ADB Report Highlights Indonesia’s Climate Vulnerability After Deadly Floods
Sudan: Over 100 People Killed in Attack on Kindergarten and Hospital in South Kordofan
US: Sanctions Colombian Individuals for Recruiting Fighters for Sudan’s Civil War
US: Threatens New Sanctions Against ICC Unless Court Pledges Not to Prosecute Top US Officials
DRC: M23 Rebels’ Advance Towards Uvira Triggers Mass Displacement
Myanmar: Dozens Killed as Military Air Strike Destroys Hospital in Rakhine
Thailand-Cambodia: Border Clashes Intensify as Death Toll Rises
Sudan: UN Secures Initial Access Deal to Aid Civilians Trapped in El Fasher
ICC: Ali Kushayb Sentenced to 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Crimes Against Humanity in Sudan
On 9 December 2025, Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC) sentenced Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, to 20 years in prison. He was convicted on 6 October of 27 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the civil war in Darfur, Sudan, between August 2003 and April 2004. In determining the sentence, the Chamber assessed the gravity of the crimes, the scale of harm inflicted on victims, and Abd-Al-Rahman’s individual circumstances, including his degree of participation, intent, and personal conduct, alongside mitigating factors identified during the proceedings. The Chamber noted that the statutory maximum under the Rome Statute is 30 years’ imprisonment or life imprisonment in cases of extreme gravity, and concluded that a determinate custodial sentence was appropriate in light of the overall sentencing balance. The Court ordered that the period Abd-Al-Rahman has spent in ICC detention since 9 June 2020 be deducted from the total term imposed. Procedurally, the sentencing marked a major milestone in the first Darfur case to reach this stage before the ICC, while leaving open the next phases of litigation, including appeals against both conviction and sentence, and the commencement of reparations proceedings following the Chamber’s order for submissions on reparations.
https://www.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/CourtRecords/0902ebd180d3a81c.pdf
Nepal: Corruption Charges Filed Against 55 Former Officials and a Chinese Firm Over Airport Construction
On 9 December 2025, Nepal’s Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), the nation’s anti-corruption agency, filed a case at the Special Court against 55 officials, including five former ministers, and China CAMC Engineering Co Ltd, a Chinese contracting firm, in connection with alleged corruption tied to a significant Chinese-funded airport project. They are alleged to have illegally inflated the construction costs of Pokhara International Airport by more than US$74 million, with the original estimate of US$170 million increasing to US$244 million. The construction was financed through a US$216 million loan from China’s Export-Import Bank. The airport was inaugurated in 2023, but no international airlines have scheduled flights to and from it, citing air safety and lack of demand from passengers. The allegations include abuse of authority, graft, and breaches of public trust, with prosecutors claiming that the actions of the accused compromised the integrity of the project and the public interest. While this prosecution is domestically focused, it carries international implications due to the involvement of foreign corporate actors, raising questions about cross-border enforcement of accountability standards and issues of transnational bribery and the integrity of state contracts. Nepal’s legal actions could also lead to requests for cooperation in jurisdictions where relevant assets or evidence may be located.
KSC: Kilaj Provisionally Released on Bail Following Detention Review
On 10 December 2025, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) published the public redacted version of the Sixth Decision on Review of Detention of Isni Kilaj, resulting in his provisional release on bail under a strict regime of conditions. Kilaj remains an accused in the ongoing case of The Specialist Prosecutor v Hashim Thaçi, Bashkim Smakaj, Isni Kilaj, Fadil Fazliu and Hajredin Kuçi (Case 12), related to allegations of illegally influencing witnesses. Kilaj, along with co-accused Smakaj and Fazliu, were arrested in Kosovo on 5 December 2024, accused of obstructing justice and of interfering with witnesses in Thaci’s trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The decision to release Kilaj followed a periodic review of detention conducted under the Chambers’ legal framework, in which the Single Trial Judge reassessed the risks of flight, obstruction of proceedings, and commission of further offences. In allowing release, the Judge placed weight on Kilaj’s previous period of conditional liberty, during which no breaches had been recorded, and on the proportionality of continued detention in light of the time already spent in custody. The decision imposed extensive safeguards, including a prohibition on leaving Kosovo without judicial authorisation, surrender of travel documents, residence and reporting requirements, non-contact obligations, and the payment of a €40,000 financial security as a condition of release. While emphasising that the charges remained serious, the judgement illustrates the Chambers’ approach to balancing individual liberty against the integrity of ongoing proceedings.
AfCHPR: Kenya Ordered to Fully Implement Ogiek Land Rights Rulings
On 11 December 2025, it was reported that the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) delivered a landmark ruling on 4 December 2025 for the indigenous Ogiek people in a longstanding dispute over land. In the case African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights v Republic of Kenya, the Court determined that Kenya had not taken “immediate steps and acted without delay” to implement earlier judgments concerning the rights of the Ogiek indigenous community to their ancestral lands in the Mau Forest. The ruling underscored the necessity for the state to go beyond merely meeting procedural obligations and to establish concrete, time-bound mechanisms for securing Ogiek land titles, reparations, and recognition as an indigenous people. Rights organisations praised the judgment, highlighting its reinforcement of binding continental human rights obligations and the Court’s authority to hold states accountable for longstanding violations of property, cultural, and environmental rights. Kenya’s ongoing non-compliance poses potential legal and political repercussions within the framework of African human rights jurisprudence.
https://www.african-court.org/cpmt/storage/app/uploads/public/693/151/357/693151357d444234883126.pdf
ECtHR: Rules Georgia Violated Rights of Protesters During June 2019 Demonstrations
On 11 December 2025, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR delivered its judgment in Tsaava and Others v. Georgia, concerning the dispersal of mass protests outside the Georgian Parliament on 20–21 June 2019. The Grand Chamber found violations of both the substantive and procedural limbs of Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment), effective investigation, and further violations of Articles 10 (freedom of expression) and 11 (freedom of assembly) in respect of journalists and demonstrators affected by the police operation. The Court concluded that the use of force, including the deployment of rubber bullets, had not been accompanied by sufficient safeguards, warnings, or operational controls, and that the regulatory framework governing such weapons was inadequate. It further held that the ensuing investigation, which had lasted several years, failed to identify those responsible or to establish accountability at either operational or command level, rendering it ineffective for Convention purposes. In addressing the broader implications, the Grand Chamber highlighted systemic deficiencies in crowd-control policing and indicated the need for strengthened legal rules, training, and oversight mechanisms.
https://www.echr.coe.int/w/grand-chamber-judgment-concerning-georgia
ECtHR: Rules Italy Failed to Investigate Soldier’s Death in Barracks
On 11 December 2025, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) delivered its judgment in Intranuovo v. Italy, finding that Italy had violated both the substantive and procedural aspects of Article 2 (right to life/lack of effective investigation) in relation to the death of the applicant’s son, a young soldier found dead in military barracks in July 2014. The Court held that, given the circumstances of the death and the authorities’ exclusive control over the relevant environment, the State was required to provide a satisfactory and convincing explanation, which it failed to do. It identified serious investigative shortcomings, including the failure to secure and analyse critical evidence at an early stage, to preserve the scene adequately, and to pursue plausible alternative explanations for the death. The Court considered that subsequent investigative steps could not remedy these initial omissions, which irreversibly undermined the effectiveness of the inquiry. As a result, the investigation did not meet the standards of independence, thoroughness, and promptness required by Article 2.
ECtHR: Rules Switzerland Violated Right of Access to a Court in Criminal Proceedings
On 11 December 2025, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) delivered its judgment in Nejjar v. Switzerland, finding a violation of Article 6 § 1 (right of access to a court) arising from the application of a domestic rule treating a criminal challenge as withdrawn following the applicant’s non-attendance at a first-instance hearing. The case concerned the operation of summary penalty order procedures, under which a failure to appear could result in the automatic finalisation of a conviction without judicial examination of the merits. While accepting that streamlined criminal procedures are not inherently incompatible with the Convention, the Court held that the use of an irrebuttable legal fiction in this case disproportionately restricted the applicant’s right of access to a court. It emphasised that the applicant’s conduct as a whole demonstrated a clear intention to pursue judicial review, and that the procedural rule deprived him of any effective opportunity to obtain a determination by a tribunal. The judgment clarifies the limits of procedural formalism in criminal justice systems and underscores that access to a court must be practical and effective.
https://www.echr.coe.int/w/judgment-concerning-switzerland-5
Hong Kong: High Court Verdict in Jimmy Lai Trial Expected on 15 December 2025
On 12 December 2025, Hong Kong’s High Court announced that it will deliver its verdict on 15 December 2025 in the prolonged national security trial of media tycoon Jimmy Lai, a British citizen and prominent pro-democracy advocate. Lai faces charges under the national security law for conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious material, both of which carry the possibility of life imprisonment. The nearly three-year-long trial has garnered significant international attention and sparked diplomatic commentary from Western governments, which argue that the case tests the limits of judicial independence and the protection of basic rights in the territory. In contrast, authorities assert that the proceedings comply with the statutory framework established by Beijing to ensure state security.
Indonesia: ADB Report Highlights Indonesia’s Climate Vulnerability After Deadly Floods
On 8 December 2025, reports highlighted the significant human cost Indonesia is facing from the impacts of climate change. Recent catastrophic floods and landslides have killed nearly 1,000 people and displaced around one million in the country. The mounting death toll and displacement follow a series of devastating storms and floods across Southeast Asia, which climate advocates argue is clear evidence of the need for accountability and increased action. A new report from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian Water Development Outlook 2025, highlighted that climate change and ecosystem decline pose a serious threat to Asia’s water systems and puts billions in the region at risk of water insecurity. The report notes that the region continues to experience extreme weather events, such as storm surges, rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion. It also highlights the deterioration of rivers, aquifers, wetlands and forests, critical to maintaining water security. Asia already accounts for over 40% of the world’s floods, and the report emphasises the urgent need for investment in water infrastructure to safeguard water security and development gains across the region.
Sudan: Over 100 People Killed in Attack on Kindergarten and Hospital in South Kordofan
On 8 December 2025, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that attacks on a kindergarten and hospital in Sudan killed 114 people, including 63 children. Drones were used last Thursday to attack the facilities in Kalogi, a town in the South Kordofan region, which has been a frontline in the civil war. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were accused of conducting the attack by both the army and the Sudan Doctors’ Network. Fighting in the Kordofan region has intensified as the army advances toward Darfur, which remains under RSF control. The RSF has not commented on the latest attack but has previously been accused of killing hundreds of civilians in Darfur’s main hospital. WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said survivors had been transferred to Abu Jebaiha Hospital for treatment. He condemned the attack, saying the WHO “deplores these senseless assaults on civilians and health facilities,” and again urged an end to the violence and unhindered humanitarian access.
Israel: RSF Names Israel as Leading Country Responsible for Journalist Deaths for Third Year Running
On 9 December 2025, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in its annual report that Israel was responsible for the deaths of more journalists than any other country for the third consecutive year. In 2025, 29 Palestinian reporters were killed in Gaza by Israeli forces, representing nearly half of the 67 journalists killed worldwide. RSF’s director general emphasised that these journalists were “not collateral victims” but deliberately targeted for their work. The deadliest single strike on 25 August hit a hospital in the south of Gaza, killing five journalists including contributors to Al Jazeera, Reuters and The Associated Press. Nearly 300 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza over the past 26 months, while Israel continues to tightly restrict international reporters’ access to the besieged enclave. Other highly dangerous countries for journalists in 2025 included Mexico (nine killed), Sudan (four), and Ukraine (three). RSF also reported that there are 503 journalists detained worldwide, 135 missing, and 20 held hostage, criticising the international community for failing to protect reporters in conflict zones.
https://rsf.org/sites/default/files/medias/file/2025/12/Bilan%202025%20EN.pdf
US: Sanctions Colombian Individuals for Recruiting Fighters for Sudan’s Civil War
On 9 December 2025, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on four individuals and four companies accused of operating a “transnational network” that recruits fighters for the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan’s civil war. The network is reported to recruit former Colombian military members and train soldiers, including children, to fight for the RSF, which the US Treasury warns has repeatedly targeted civilians and deepened the conflict. Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K Hurley stated the violence risks destabilizing the region and “creating the conditions for terrorist groups to grow.” The Treasury said the network is contributing to a conflict that has become the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. The sanctioned individuals include Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a retired Colombian military officer based in the UAE, who allegedly plays a central role in recruitment and deployment. Washington reaffirmed its commitment to the 12 September Joint Statement, which advocates for a humanitarian truce and a permanent ceasefire, and calls for external actors to stop supplying financial and military assistance to the fighters.
US: Threatens New Sanctions Against ICC Unless Court Pledges Not to Prosecute Top US Officials
On 10 December 2025, the US government threatened to impose new sanctions against the ICC unless it agreed to amend its founding treaty, the Rome Statute, to prohibit prosecutions of heads of state. Washington wants to ensure the ICC does not investigate top US officials and President Donald Trump after his term ends in 2029. This demand reflects ongoing tensions between the US, which is not a member of the ICC, and the court’s active investigations into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to US military actions, as well as cases connected to the Gaza conflict involving top Israeli officials, including arrest warrants issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. ICC officials have confirmed that they have not received any formal proposals for amendments or treaty modifications, and altering the Rome Statute would require ratification by two-thirds of ICC member states, presenting a significant legal challenge.
DRC: M23 Rebels’ Advance Towards Uvira Triggers Mass Displacement
On 10 December 2025, renewed fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) forced approximately 200,000 people to flee their homes as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels advanced toward the strategic lakeside town of Uvira, near the border with Burundi. The UN reported that at least 74 people, mostly civilians, had been killed, with 83 admitted to hospital in recent days due to the escalating clashes between the M23 and Congolese troops alongside local groups known as Wazalendo. The displacement comes just days after US President Donald Trump hosted the leaders of Rwanda and DRC to sign a US and Qatari-brokered peace pact to end the conflict, a deal which DRC President Félix Tshisekedi now accuses Rwanda of violating. The US State Department expressed deep concern over the violence and urged Rwanda, which denies supporting the rebels despite US and UN evidence, to prevent further escalation. Prior to this latest surge, the conflict had already displaced at least 1.2 million people.
US: Seizes Venezuelan Oil Tanker Amid Rising Tensions with Maduro
On 10 December 2025, the US seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, a move likely to escalate tensions with President Nicolás Maduro’s government. The operation, led by the US Coast Guard with support from the Department of Defence, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security, involved military personnel rappelling onto the vessel from helicopters, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. Bondi also said that the tanker was targeted for transporting “sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran” and has long been sanctioned for alleged involvement in an illicit oil network supporting foreign terrorist groups. Venezuela condemned the seizure as a “blatant theft” and an “act of international piracy,” vowing to defend its sovereignty and denouncing the US before international bodies. US President Donald Trump did not disclose the vessel’s owner but indicated the oil would remain under US control. The takeover comes amid Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign on Venezuela, including the deployment of military forces to the Caribbean and a series of lethal strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels. Tensions have also risen with Colombia, as Trump renewed threats against President Gustavo Petro, warning that “he’ll be next” in his anti-narcotics campaign.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/10/trump-admin-seizes-oil-tanker-off-venezuela-coast-reports
Venezuela: National Assembly Initiates Withdrawal from ICC
On 11 December 2025, Venezuela’s National Assembly voted to repeal the domestic law that ratified the Rome Statute, officially commencing the country’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC). This decision follows the ICC’s 2021 initiation of an investigation into alleged human rights violations in Venezuela, which elicited strong condemnation from President Nicolás Maduro’s government, labelling the court as an “instrument of imperialism.” According to Article 127 of the Rome Statute, withdrawal takes effect one year after notification; however, it does not end the ICC’s ongoing jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while Venezuela was still a member. Critics contend that this withdrawal undermines accountability for serious international crimes and may diminish the authority of the global court.
Myanmar: Dozens Killed as Military Air Strike Destroys Hospital in Rakhine
On 11 December 2025, at least 33 people were killed and about 70 injured after Myanmar’s military government carried out an air strike on a major hospital in Mrauk U, in western Rakhine state. According to the Arakan Army, which controls the area, a military aircraft dropped bombs directly on the 300-bed Mrauk U General Hospital, leaving the facility completely destroyed and causing mass casualties as it was overflowing with patients amid widespread suspension of healthcare services in the region. Aid workers described scenes of devastation, with the building reduced to ruins and bodies laid on the ground. One aid worker confirmed 31 deaths and 68 wounded, warning the toll is likely to rise. The strike comes amid a civil war that has engulfed Myanmar since the military’s 2021 coup, which overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The junta has increasingly relied on air strikes in its fight against resistance groups, including the Arakan Army, which controls much of Rakhine state and has pushed military forces out of most of the region since a ceasefire collapsed in 2023. Between January and late November, the government conducted more than 2,100 air strikes, already surpassing last year’s total.
Thailand-Cambodia: Border Clashes Intensify as Death Toll Rises
On 11 December 2025, fighting between Cambodia and Thailand intensified along the two countries’ border as both sides accused each other of violating their sovereignty. Fighting a few days prior wounded two Thai soldiers, triggering larger scale airstrikes along the border and derailing a ceasefire backed by US President Donald Trump that ended clashes in July over longstanding territorial disputes. Two dozen people were reported killed in the fighting this week and hundreds of thousands have been displaced on both sides of the border. Cambodia’s Defence Ministry accused Thailand of dropping bombs and deploying heavy weapons inside Cambodian territory. Thailand said Cambodian forces launched artillery and mortar attacks on Thai positions and that it responded in kind. Fighting has spread to the area around the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site long disputed by both countries. The July ceasefire, brokered by Malaysia under US pressure, had already been strained by mutual accusations over land mines, missing soldiers, and ongoing propaganda campaigns. US President Donald Trump said he intends to speak with both leaders and believes he can bring an end to the renewed fighting.
Sudan: UN Secures Initial Access Deal to Aid Civilians Trapped in El Fasher
On 12 December 2025, the UN reported that humanitarian agencies have reached an agreement “in principle” with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to enter El Fasher, where between 70,000 and 100,000 civilians remain trapped in catastrophic conditions after the city fell to RSF control in October. After a 500-day siege, UN officials said the essentials for survival have been “completely obliterated”, with testimonies describing El Fasher as a “crime scene” marked by mass killings, burned bodies, and executions. Communication blackouts continue to limit information from inside the city, but aid teams expect to conduct initial assessments soon. The UN warns that civilians fleeing El Fasher face mined roads and attacks, with many escaping to Tawila, now a vast displacement camp hosting more than 650,000 people, or to Ad Dabbah in the north. World Food Programme (WFP) convoys are en route with food for 700,000 people, though overcrowding, disease outbreaks, and famine conditions remain severe. The conflict has made Sudan the world’s largest displacement crisis, with over 12 million people uprooted.
EU: Moves Towards Indefinite Freeze of Russian Assets Overriding Member Objections
On 12 December 2025, it was reported that the European Union is poised to indefinitely freeze roughly €210 billion in Russian sovereign assets held in Europe, through a major procedural shift designed to prevent Hungary or Slovakia from vetoing the renewal of EU sanctions every six months. The decision, expected to pass by qualified majority, would secure long-term control over Russian Central Bank funds stored primarily in Belgium’s Euroclear system and pave the way for EU leaders to use the assets to underwrite a large loan package for Ukraine’s military needs. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán sharply denounced the move as a violation of EU law, while Belgium has also warned of serious risks linked to any “reparations loan”. Russia’s Central Bank responded by filing a lawsuit in Moscow against Euroclear and accused the EU of breaching sovereign immunity. The escalation over frozen assets comes as Ukraine reports renewed battlefield gains near Kupiansk in Kharkiv region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, visiting the frontline, said recent advances, including encircling Russian forces and retaking several settlements, strengthen Kyiv’s diplomatic position as Washington presses for a peace plan requiring major concessions.
Weekly News Recap (1 – 7 June 2026) © Photo by EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid via FlickrInternational Justice SectionTunisia: Court Imposes Life Sentence on Ennahda Leader Rached GhannouchiCAS: Upholds FIFA Sanctions Against Mexican Football Federation Over Homophobic ChantsGabon: Court Rejects Appeal by Opposition Leader and Upholds DetentionPCA: Rejects
Weekly News Recap (25 – 31 May 2026) © Photo by USAID U.S. Agency for International Development via Flickr International Justice Section Tunisia: Court Sentences Presidential Critic Sonia Dahmani to New Two-Year Prison Term Cambodia: Opposition Leader Kem Sokha Granted Royal Pardon by King Norodom Sihamoni for Treason Sentence France:
Weekly News Recap (18 – 24 May 2026) © Photo by Aerous via Wikimedia Commons International Justice Section Yemen: Court Sentences 19 to Death for Alleged Collaboration with Saudi-Led Coalition Bahrain: Court Sentences Man to Life Imprisonment for Alleged Links to IRGC and Hezbollah South Korea: Former Defence Minister Sentenced
