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Universal jurisdiction

News and expert analyses

What is it all about?

Trying people wherever they are, whatever their nationality

Universal jurisdiction enables national judicial systems to try individuals, regardless of their nationality or the place where the crimes were committed. This justice approach deals with international crimes committed a long time ago, as during the civil wars in Liberia, or when no other jurisdiction, international or national, is able or willing to try them,, as in the case of Syria. As with the trials of Rwandans in several European countries (for genocide), the trial of Gambian Ousman Sonko (accused of crimes against humanity in Switzerland) or of Chadian Hissein Habré, tried and convicted in Senegal (for crimes committed in Chad in the 1980s). Discover universal jurisdiction through the news documented by our experts.

Syrian Majdi Nema is on trial in France for complicity in war crimes committed in Syria. Photo: Nema in 2019, freshly graduated in Istanbul.
Nema, portrait of an ex-rebel “certain of his innocence”
15 May 2025 by Chloé Dubois
Syrian Majdi Nema has been on trial in France since April 29 for complicity in war crimes. This former spokesman for the rebel group Jaysh al-Islam is pleading not-guilty before the Paris Assize Court.
Rohingya women from Myanmar, in Bangladesh. How Argentina deals with sexual crimes against the Rohingya
9 May 2025 by Asymmetrical Haircuts
An Argentine court ordered arrest warrants against Myanmar’s military leadership for genocide against the Rohingya community. But why do we need Argentina when several international institutions are already involved?
A Syrian ex-rebel on trial in France: Majdi Nema. A Syrian rebel on trial in France
29 April 2025 by Chloé Dubois
The war crimes trial of Syrian Majdi Nema, former spokesman and an alleged top leader of the armed rebel group Jaysh al-Islam, opens this Tuesday, April 29, before the Paris Assize Court.
Verdict in the Correa trial in the United States: Michael Sang Correa found guilty on all counts. Photo: Prosecutor J. Bishop Grewell speaks at a press briefing in court in Denver, Colorado. US jury finds Correa guilty on all counts
17 April 2025 by Mariam Sankanu
On Tuesday April 15, 2025, a US court found Michael Sang Correa, a former member of a hit-squad in Gambia, guilty of all torture charges against him. This was an emotional moment for victims present at the trial.
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Michael Sang Correa, a former member of the ‘Junglers’ in Gambia, is on trial in the United States on charges of torture under the dictatorship of Yahya Jammeh. Image: illustration showing Correa at his trial, surrounded by lawyers and a witness.
15 April 2025 by Mariam Sankanu
Correa’s ‘confessions’ backfire The torture trial of Gambian Michael Sang Correa closed yesterday, earlier than expected, a week after it started and the hearing of his audio recorded ‘confessions’. Only the prosecution presented witnesses, and Correa decided not to testify himself.
Trial of Michael Sang Correa in the United States for crimes committed in Gambia. Illustration: Correa appears in court surrounded by the various protagonists in his trial.
11 April 2025 by Mariam Sankanu
The Correa trial: fear or zeal? The opening of the trial of Michael Sang Correa seems to clarify the case: the former Gambian hitman does not deny the tortures he was involved in; he says he was forced into it. While the prosecution argues he had a choice and was a willing participant.
Trial of ex-jungler Michael Sang Correa in the United States for acts of torture committed in Gambia. Photo: entrance to the courthouse in Denver.
7 April 2025 by Mariam Sankanu
Former “Jungler” Correa on trial in the U.S. The trial of Michael Sang Correa, an alleged former member of a hit-squad in The Gambia, opens on April 7 in Denver, Colorado. He is the first non-US citizen to be tried under U.S. law for acts of torture committed outside the U.S.
Threats and intimidation at the Lundin trial in Sweden. Photo: George Tai, a witness, tells his story in Juba (Southern Sudan).
3 April 2025 by Martin Schibbye
Threats and intimidation in the Lundin trial Witnesses in the trial of former Lundin Oil executives are alleged to have been the victims of a campaign of threats, intimidation and bribes. New revelations have reopened an investigation into obstruction of justice.
Alexandre Schneiter, former CEO of Lundin Oil, gives his side of the story at his trial in Sweden on charges of complicity in war crimes committed in Sudan. Photo: Schneiter in a video interview for Bloomberg.
24 March 2025 by Martin Schibbye
“I was responsible for what was beneath the surface – not above” At the trial in Sweden of the former executives of Lundin Oil on charges of complicity in war crimes, ex-CEO Alexandre Schneiter explained that he was responsible for drilling, not for security or operational activities.
Voislav Torden (Yan Petrovsky), leader of a group close to Russia, was sentenced to life imprisonment in Finland for war crimes committed in Ukraine. Photo: Torden in military uniform.
14 March 2025 by AFP
War crimes in Ukraine: a Russian sentenced to life in Finland Voislav Torden is the first Russian citizen to be sentenced outside Ukraine for war crimes committed in that country. On Friday March 14, the leader of the Russian-affiliated paramilitary unit “Rusich Group” was sentenced to life [...]
A Swedish documentary film shows Ian Lundin in Sudan surrounded by armed child soldiers. The footage was used in the trial of Swedish company Lundin Oil in Sweden.
6 February 2025 by Martin Schibbye
How Lundin’s filmed trip in Sudan backfired in court This Tuesday February 4, Alexandre Schneiter’s interrogation has started in Stockholm, where two former directors of the Swedish oil company Lundin are tried for complicity in war crimes in Sudan. Before him, until last week, his [...]
Trial of Russian soldier Voislav Torden in Finland for possible war crimes committed in Ukraine. Torden sits on a television screen during his trial, surrounded by his lawyers.
23 January 2025 by Jeanette Björkqvist
Finland on the frontline for trying Russians for war crimes Finland is the stage for an unusual trial, where a 37-year-old Russian citizen is charged with war crimes committed in Ukraine. Voislav Torden is accused of leading an ambush attack in which 22 Ukrainian soldiers were killed, incl [...]
Supporters and opponents of Donald Trump scuffle as they wait for a verdict in Trump's hush money criminal trial outside Manhattan Criminal Court on May 29, 2024 in New York City.
16 January 2025 by Asymmetrical Haircuts
Pursuing universal jurisdiction on the eve of Trump’s era If there is a strong sense that there will be a before Trump II and an after – for the United States as well as for the world – this podcast will stand as how America was right before. It was recorded by our partners at Asymmetric [...]
Ian Lundin, former chairman of the Swedish oil company Lundin Oil, speaks to the press during his trial in Sweden for alleged complicity in war crimes commited in Sudan.
10 January 2025 by Olivier Truc
Ian Lundin finally speaks In a Stockholm trial that started in September 2023, two directors of Swedish oil company Lundin Oil are charged with complicity in war crimes committed in Sudan between 1997 and 2003. Answering questions, company chairman Ian Lun [...]
International justice for Bashar al-Assad's crimes in Syria. Photo: Broken portrait of Bashar al-Assad next to documents.
13 December 2024 by Franck Petit
“We will follow them wherever they will go” Renowned Syrian lawyer Anwar al-Bunni and his colleagues at the Syrian Center for Legal Studies and Research have been leading figures in Syrian efforts for justice. In Europe, they have initiated, with other organizations, univer [...]
Yezidi women demonstrate in Syria to commemorate the fifth anniversary of attacks by the Islamic State (EI) group.
11 December 2024 by AFP
Netherlands: 10 years in prison for enslaving a Yezidi woman This is a crime against humanity, stressed the District Court of The Hague, in the Netherlands, in delivering its verdict on Wednesday 11 December. It sentenced Hasan Aarab, a Dutch citizen, to 10 years' imprisonment for using a Y [...]
Genocide of the Yazidis - Photo: in Iraq, Yazidi women hold up placards commemorating the invasion of their region by the Islamic State (EI) group in 2014.
26 November 2024 by Chloé Dubois
Yazidi genocide trial to take place in France Two men and a woman, all French nationals and members of the Islamic State group, are for the first time being brought before a French court for genocide. The three are accused of taking part in the extermination of Yazidis and en [...]
Trial in France of Eugène Rwamucyo for complicity in genocide in Rwanda - Photo: Eugène Rwamucyo at the opening of his trial in Paris
30 October 2024 by AFP
Rwamucyo sentenced for complicity in genocide Eugène Rwamucyo, a former Rwandan doctor and teacher, was sentenced to 27 years' imprisonment by a French court on October 30 for complicity in genocide and crimes against humanity. He is the eighth Rwandan to be tried in France f [...]
Complaint in Belgium over allegations of war crimes committed by foreign soldiers of the Israeli army in Gaza - Photo: an Israeli sniper seen from behind, in firing position at the top of a building.
25 October 2024 by Gaëlle Ponselet
Crimes in Palestine: Belgian justice takes an interest in its dual nationals Belgium is investigating two cases of war crimes committed in Gaza and the West Bank, under its universal jurisdiction. The latest case is causing a stir: a Belgian-Israeli sniper is suspected of being the perpetrator or co-perpet [...]
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