STATEMENT ON GAZA BY WOMEN INTERNATIONAL LAWYERS
We the undersigned are members of an active global community of women-identifying lawyers, activists, and jurists with expertise in various facets of public international law. We make this statement to supplement the calls of many organisations and individuals around the world for an IMMEDIATE END TO THE SIEGE ON GAZA.
An immediate cessation of hostilities by all parties is essential to create a humanitarian corridor which will allow vital supplies and humanitarian assistance to be brought to the civilian population in the Gaza Strip, many of whom are injured and have been without food, water, and necessary supplies for many days. This will also provide a critical opportunity for serious political negotiations to be held to end Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territory, secure the release of all hostages and negotiate a longer term solution to the conflict.
Since Saturday 7th October 2023 we have been watching, appalled by the blatant disregard for human life and international law demonstrated by both Hamas militants and the Israeli government. There are already innumerable allegations of crimes under international law, including but not limited to:
The United Nations, the World Health Organisation, the International Committee of the Red Cross, Médecins sans Frontières, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are among the various international humanitarian and human rights organisations and agencies that have publicly expressed grave concerns about violations of the international laws of war. The former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Mr Luis Moreno Ocampo, has also stated that he believes there is credible evidence of potential Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide. This adds to the increasing calls by the international and Israeli and Palestinian human rights communities for a recognition that the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory may constitute the Crime against Humanity of Apartheid.
All of these allegations must be seriously investigated and where evidence supports, those responsible must be prosecuted.
We therefore call on:
The events of the last few weeks have been profoundly shocking and the failure to take immediate action will further undermine global confidence in international law and human rights. As international lawyers we are determined to ensure that the Rule of Law is re-established and further human suffering is avoided.
Signed:
Professor Kiran Grewal, Co-Director of the Unit for Global Justice, Goldsmiths, University of London
Sally Anne Corcoran, Irish Research Council Scholar, PhD International Human Rights Law, Consultant
Marion Volkmann-Brandau, Senior Human Rights and Gender Consultant
Marie-Claude Fournier, avocate, Barreau du Québec
Martha Basazienw Kassa, Doctoral Researcher, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law
Helena Esteves, Compliance Officer
Thellenza Arifi Krasniqi, Human Rights Expert
Nupur Prakash, Human Rights and Gender Expert
Marialejandra Moreno Mantilla, International Criminal Lawyer
Sophie Pigot, Criminal Law Barrister
Courtney Welton-Mitchell, Director CDR Cert, Asst Prof, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado
Sophie van der Valk, Postdoctoral Researcher
Jenny Duncan, Business & Human Rights Consultant
Rajvir Kaur Gill, Human Rights and Pluralism Specialist, Child Rights Advocate and Lawyer
Alexandra Patsalides, Human Rights Lawyer
Bénédicte Aboul-Nasr, LLM in International Law, human rights and peacebuilding professional
Sabrina Rau, Human Rights Researcher, Consultant
Elise Thoen, Human Rights Lawyer
Nadine Kheshen, International Criminal Lawyer
Lori Mann, International human rights lawyer
Besan Abatly, Palestinian lawyer
Emelie Kozak, Human Rights Lawyer
Priyanka CHIRIMAR, International lawyer
Sorcha Kinder, International Lawyer
Tathiana Flores-Acuna, Expert GBV/IHL
Zainab Malik, Lawyer
Kalia Kambanella, lawyer
Teresa Cabrita, Postdoctoral researcher in EU and international law
Shalaka Phadnis, Civil Rights Lawyer and Human Rights Consultant
Angelica Neiszer, MSc
Sumiya Hemsi, lawyer
Lara Quarterman, Gender-based violence Expert
Amanda Munoz de Toro, Human Rights Lawyer
Elizabeth Herath, Barrister
Maria Fernanda Cáceres Sánchez, International Lawyer
Souad Martin-Saoudi, avocate, Barreau du Québec
Cynthia M. Garba, Unregistered barrister, LLM in International Law, LLB (Hons) in Law with International Relations
Amelie Beauchemin, International Criminal Lawyer
Sonya Merkova, LLM, international law and human rights expert
Melissa A. Padilla, Human Rights Lawyer (application to the District of Columbia bar is pending)
Dr. Hannah Birkenkötter, Assistant Professor, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM)
Merna Nasralla, PhD Candidate, Queen Mary University of London
Ellen Allde, PhD Candidate, Queen Mary University of London
Melanie Montalban, Human Rights and Environmental Lawyer
Tania Bernath, Human Rights Consultant
Bérénice Kafui Schramm, Assistant Professor of Law, Bahçeşehir Üniversitesi (BAU)
Christina Beninger, PhD, International human rights lawyer
Katyayani Chandola, Human Rights Lawyer
Trisha Mohan Kripalani, Advisor, Human Rights
Margaux Capblancq, Refugee Protection Specialist
Sandhya Sitoula, Human Rights Lawyer
Elena Bertucci, LLM with Specialization in International Law and Human Rights, Avvocato
Virgine Rouas, Legal Expert in Business and Human Rights
Kristin MacDougall-Sullivan, Program Director Afghanistan Humanitarian Programs, Human Rights Lawyer
Pegah Eftekhari, International Compliance Attorney
Alreem Kamal, International Lawyer
Shéhérazade Stewart, Criminal Defense Attorney, L.L.M. International Law
Emmanuelle Marchand, International Criminal law counsel
Kasiva Mulli, Human Rights Lawyer
Helin Köse, lawyer, Paris Bar
Natacha Bracq, Legal Advisor
Jana Sillen LL.M, child protection and human rights expert
Dina El-Mamoun, LLM, International Law
Inês Avelãs Nunes, Head of Advocacy and jurist
Emily Hawley, Human Rights Lawyer
Claire Mahon, International Human Rights Lawyer
Lene Guercke, PhD Law, human rights consultant, researcher
Imogen Canavan, International Legal Consultant
Rebecca Leabeater, Lawyer
Dr.Gurpreet Kaur, Gender and Human Rights Expert
Therese Rytter, Lawyer
Fernanda Coelho D’Alessandro, Human Rights Lawyer
Anna Khalfaoui, Lawyer
Piya Muqit, Regional Director East, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Amnesty International
Melissa J. McKay, International Criminal Lawyer
Kate Mac Sweeney, LLM International Criminal Law, Human Rights Advisor
Maya Linstrum-Newman, lawyer
Amaria Belaskri, human rights and refugee law advocate
Joanne D'Souza, Lawyer
Zhanna Ivanova, LLM International Human Rights Law
Olga Kavran, Fellow and PhD candidate, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Founding Director, IUSTICOM
Gorana Mlinarevic, feminist, human rights and peace advocate
Claire Beston, Human rights consultant
Karen L. Hoffmann, Lawyer
Kathryn Hampton, Refugee protection specialist
Nela Porobic Isakovic, feminist, peace and human rights advocate
Siobhan Allen, Lawyer (Human Rights, International Criminal Law and International Humanitarian Law)
Manuela Corredor Vasquez, International Human Rights Lawyer
Natacha John, PhD, International Lawyer
Sarah Kay, International human rights lawyer
Penny Ehrhardt, Doctoral Researcher, Oxford University
Luiza Leite de Queiroz, Marie Curie Fellow and PhD Researcher, VU Amsterdam
Dr. Aloka Wanigasuriya, Academic specializing in international criminal law and public international law.
Tayyiba Bajwa, Supervising Attorney, International Human Rights Clinic at UC Berkeley and Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers
Dr. Noha Aboueldahab, Professor of International Law, Georgetown University in Qatar
Nanjala Nyabola, Writer and Political Analyst
Saida Hodžić, human rights and feminist scholar, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Cornell University
Rana Refahi, lawyer
Emily Schaeffer Omer-Man, international human rights lawyer and IHL expert
Sophie Rigney, Senior Lecturer (Law), RMIT University
Natasha Lewis, human rights lawyer and gender equity policy specialist
Elissa Hines Reimer, lawyer/mediator, former STL trial counsel
Joanna Kyriakakis, Senior Lecturer (Law), Monash University
Fabi Fugazza, human rights lawyer and academic
Sabina Talovic, peace activist
Tamara Zablocka, feminist and human rights activist
Sabina Sabic, peace activist
Dr. Ciara O’Connell, Human Rights Monitor/Inspector
Tamara Smidling, anthropologist
Belma Lalic, peace activist
Hend Abo Al Saud, LLB(Hons) in International Law, Human Rights Consultant
Dr. Andjela Pepic, sociologist
Dr. Elissa Helms, anthropologist
Maida Kopic, Special Counsel, Lawyerbank
Elisa Vari, Human Rights and Refugee Law Attorney
Susie Talbot, international human rights lawyer
Emma Day LLM, international human rights lawyer
Lúcia Kula, International Human Rights Lawyer / Lecturer in Law and Gender
María Alejandra Cárdenas, international human rights lawyer and feminist
Katharine Fortin, Associate Professor, Utrecht University
Deborah Cummins, Director Bridging Peoples
Denise Venturi, Gender and refugee expert
Dr Zoi Aliozi, Human rights educator/lawyer
Vivian Oliana, Human Rights Lawyer, Amsterdam
Soraya Oukil, LLM Public International Law, Human Rights and Refugee Lawyer
Rhea Kneifati, LLM public international law with specialization in international criminal law
Véronique Lerch, Independent Human Rights Consultant
Ayşe Bingöl Demir, International Human Rights Lawyer
Haben Fecadu, Human Rights Lawyer
Genevieve Westrope, Human Rights Lawyer
Danique Keiman, Human Rights and Refugee Lawyer
Judith Pieters, Human Rights and Refugee Lawyer
Nadeshda Jayakody, international human rights lawyer
Elli Kriona Saranti, lawyer
Nobukhosi Zulu, Law and Policy Specialist
Zahra Albarazi, international human rights lawyer
Inaas Slimi, Advocacy Advisor and Human Rights and Refugee Law Specialist
Pakeeza Rasheed, lawyer
Dr Roisin Burke, Assistant Professor, Utrecht University
Margaux Lenormand, lawyer
Dr Felicity Gerry KC, Crockett Chambers, Melbourne and Libertas Chambers, London
Devyani Kacker, Human Rights Lawyer
Sabrina Mahtani, Human Rights Lawyer
K. Sharanya, human rights lawyer and investigator
Cristina Azzarello, humanitarian affairs officer, LLM on international human rights
Ximena Vengoechea, Advocate, Scottish Bar
Kara Von Blasingame, Esq, Legal Expert in Business and Human Rights
Kristine Beckerle, international human rights and humanitarian law expert, NY Bars