Amazing to see #Belarus most famous (former) political prisoner Siarhei Tsikhanouski released yesterday, now in Vilnius, describing - in tears - the solitary confinement he suffered for five years. His wife Svetlana remains leader of opposition.

Striking graphic on journalists’ deaths in war showing #Gaza realities. Referenced by Hoda Osman of Arab Reports for Investigative Journalism @journalismfestival.com from here: watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/p...

TLDR: international justice is important but doesn’t deliver
Good to expose a bit the underbelly of issues surrounding ‘international justice’ for #genocide and #WarCrimes at @journalismfestival.com with @hannahel711.bsky.social + @kategibson.bsky.social + @justiceinfo.bsky.social boss Thierry

If you like your numbers crunched @jodesz.bsky.social has all the stats for you to compare #Duterte to fellow inmates #ICC www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq...

Last days of the Ngaissona + Yekatom trial @ #ICC (bar appeals) on crimes more than a decade ago in Central Africa Republic. An intense two-day sentencing hearing even though we have no judgment yet. Lots of twisted verb tenses + rhetorical flourishes “serious crimes demand serious punishment”

Legislation to sanction #ICC over arrest warrants against allies (#Netanyahu) primed to move next week. thehill.com/policy/defen...

It must be Xmas Eve!

And the cookie decorating is done and the house is made! (It’s amazing how encouraging a half bottle of champagne is for my daughter).

Rocky road not pictured. Only icing, decorating, a cake, a tarte tatin, and a gingerbread house to go. And there are only 4 of us to eat them all.

At #ICC this week prosecutor Karim Khan says victims have not been passive but “clamouring” for justice, at closing arguments first (so far?) #Darfur #Sudan case (UNSC referral in 2005) closing arguments.

When you launch a policy on prosecuting slavery crimes International Criminal Court, would you like some media attention? Apparently not! My colleague @mollyquell.bsky.social got in but was told “This event is not open to the media and we ask that representatives of the media not to take notes.”

I’ve been St Nick/Santa a bit early this year distributing some mugs to a few podcast @asymmetricalh.bsky.social guests. Thank you so much to all our guests! I promise to try to get round to all the several hundreds of amazing people during 2025 @szarmsky.bsky.social @lucyjgaynor.bsky.social

Back in The Hague where in one space (Humanity Hub) you can find Pacific Island students planning their climate action around Monday’s ICJ hearings and Palestinians preparing day of solidarity.

What are journalists’ roles in covering conflict? We are first responders and sometimes our work provides evidence in a war crimes trial. But I enjoyed debating the ethical issues with Lithuanian colleagues last night. Thanks to 15minutes + Vaidotas Beniušis

Not an academic. But here’s Rusty

It was strange to re listen to my own take on the UN’s Rwanda Tribunal from nearly 30 years ago. What’s changed? Who was there? What does #Rwanda now make of it? www.asymmetricalhaircuts.com/episodes/jus... @asymmetricalh.bsky.social @svdberg.bsky.social

This is Rusty - speaks Dutch English and Lithuanian

It’s autumn in Vilnius - you can tell because the statue of Gedemino has been given a much needed scarf. (Or you can walk around and see piles of pumpkins outside our local cafe or scrunch the chestnuts underfoot or succumb to the inevitable next six months of hats and gloves)