When international accountability mechanisms fail: options to address impunity in Africa and the Middle East

Legal and Program Director, Project Expedite Justice, and Independent Rule of Law Consultant. Akingbolahan Adeniran is a former state attorney-general and national rule of law advisor in Nigeria with a strong interest in international criminal justice and people-centered justice. He previously worked as a senior investigator and team leader with the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals and more recently as a senior investigations expert with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. He was an investigator and a trial lawyer at the International Criminal Court in the court’s early days for almost a decade. He currently works part-time as the Horn of Africa Legal and Program Director in Project Expedite Justice, an American nonprofit working with governmental and nongovernmental entities in countries affected by conflict to develop their capacity to investigate, document, and pursue justice and accountability for international crimes and serious human rights violations as well as to meaningfully participate in transitional justice efforts. He is also working on a project to establish an African alliance for people-centered justice with Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies, a US-based group of UN member countries, international organizations, members of civil society and the private sector dedicated to the delivery of the sustainable development goal targets for peace, justice, and inclusion(SDG16). Between 2022 and 2023, he served as a task team member of a high ambition coalition, the Justice Action Coalition, to advise on its operationalization with a view to catalyzing the global delivery of people-centered justice and the attainment of SDG16.He is a co-editor and co-author of the book, “International Criminal Investigations – Law and Practice”. He authored a chapter on Article 54: Duties and Powers of the Prosecutor with Respect to Investigations in the book, “Code of international Criminal Law and Procedure, Annotated”. He has published several articles, including “Anti-Corruption Measures in Nigeria: A Case for Selective Intervention by Non-State Actors” and “From Justice for the Few to Justice for All – A model for high-ambition action to deliver the SDGs”. He is the non-executive chairman of I Choose Life Foundation, Nigeria, a nonprofit set up to promote mental well-being and address the menace of drug abuse among the youth. He graduated with a first-class honors degree in Law from the University of Lagos and holds an LL.M. from Harvard Law School.

Professor Giovanni Chiarini is currently serving as Vice Dean (Research and Graduate Studies) at Alfaisal University College of Law & International Relations in Saudi Arabia. He is also an International Fellow (2022-2024) of the National Institute of Military Justice in Washington, DC (USA), and a Criminal Defense Attorney licensed to practice at international criminal tribunals. He is admitted to the list of the International Criminal Court (ICC) assistants-to-counsel and eligible associate counsel; the list of Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC - EULEX) Specialist Co-Counsel and Victims’ Co-Counsel; and the list of Human Rights Courts, including the roster of counsel for the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights. He previously carried out legal consultancy for the United Nations (UNAKRT) regarding the Cambodian Genocide and the Khmer Rouge Trials held at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC). He also worked as a scholar-in-residence at Texas Tech University School of Law, Centre for Military Law & Policy (USA), and he recently published a book entitled The Evolution of International Criminal Procedure: From Nuremberg and Tokyo to the International Criminal Court (Routledge, 2024)

Prof Mohamed Elewa Badar holds the Chair in Comparative and International Criminal Law; Islamic Law at Northumbria Law School, Newcastle, UK. Professor Badar previously held a position as a Senior Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Studies at Brunel Law School, London (2007-2013). He has also taught andacted as a convenor of International Law & Islamic Law module at Durham Law School (2011-2013).Prof Badar served as Senior Prosecutor and Judge in Egypt from 1997-2006. He was a member (investigator) of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate and report on allegations of human rights violations during the civil unrest in Bahrain in February/March 2011 and has participated in the judicial reform in Afghanistan.Prof Badar is the author of The Concept of Mens Rea in International Criminal Law (Oxford: Hart, 2013/2015). He published over 60 articles in refereed journals and chapters in prominent books. His work was cited and quoted by the international criminal tribunals and by distinguished scholars. He wrote intensively on hate speech and hate propaganda and contributed to the recent report by the Nuremberg Principles Academy on “Understanding Hate Speech within the Context of International Criminal Law”. His recent research appears in Leiden Journal of International Law, Texas International Law Journal, Nordic Journal of Human Rights. His very recent work on Prosecuting ISIS for Core International Crimes before Iraqi Criminal Court will be published in the International Criminal Law Review. Prof Badar served as Senior Prosecutor and Judge in Egypt from 1997-2006. He is currently a Senior Expert for Euromed Justice IV , a project funded by the European Commission for enhancing Euro-Mediterranean mutual legal assistance on the investigation and prosecution of complex judicial cases i.e. terrorism, money laundering and cybercrime. He also served asa senior Police investigator in Egypt (1991-1997). He was a member (investigator) of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate and report on allegations of human rights violations during the civil unrest in Bahrain in February/March 2011.He had the opportunity to work as an expert for the United Nations Interregional Crimes and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), the United States Institute for Peace (USIP), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-BanTreaty Organization (CTBTO). He also acted as the Regional Liaison Officer for the Middle East & North Africa, War Crimes Committee of the International Bar Association.

Ms. Bola Akinsete is an international criminal justice practitioner, justice sector reformer, with over 15 years of experience across domestic and international legal systems. With an unwavering commitment to victim-centred justice, accountability, and systemic reform, she works at the intersection of law, technology, and policy to advance access to justice and strengthen institutional frameworks. Her legal career encompasses international criminal law, human rights advocacy, criminal justice reform, victim and witness protection, and transformative policy development. Ms. Akinsete has delivered capacity-building programmes and offered technical assistance to law enforcement on prosecuting sexual and gender-based violence, implementing restorative justice frameworks, and modernizing justice delivery systems. She currently works as Legal Officer at the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP), UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in Arusha, Tanzania, where she supports the OTP’s mandate to narrow impunity gaps by ensuring accountability for crimes committed in the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi, including support to national jurisdictions and providing access to evidence, as well as offering legal, investigative, prosecutorial and strategic assistance. She also serves as Alternate Focal Point for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse prevention at the IRMCT Arusha branch. As Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Attorney General she contributed to several reform initiatives including the first virtual court hearing during COVID-19 Practice Directions issued by the Judiciary on remote hearing, the Bail Information Management System, and comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures for prosecution-led investigations, digitize the process of applying for certified true copies of Prosecution Legal Advice and the establishment of the Restorative Justice Centre, in Lagos State. Ms. Akinsete holds a Master of Laws in International Human Rights Law from De Montfort University, UK, and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration at the East and Southern Africa Management Institute. She earned her Bachelor of Laws from the University of Wolverhampton, UK, and is a qualified Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Her expertise has been featured in her recent publication "Giving teeth to Victims Assistance and Witness Protection Law," reflecting her passion for strengthening protective frameworks for crime victims.

Dr. Adejoké Babington-Ashaye is an international justice and human rights lawyer, musician-activist, and thought leader whose career spans some of the world’s most influential legal and policy institutions. With a deep commitment to accountability, equity, and reparatory justice, she works at the intersection of law, policy, and culture to advance justice and human dignity. Her distinguished legal career encompasses human rights, international criminal law, dispute resolution between states, counter-terrorism justice and accountability, and broader global policy reform. Adejoké is widely recognized as an expert trainer and advisor, delivering technical assistance and capacity-building to national criminal justice authorities on prosecuting atrocity crimes, conflict-related sexual violence, and terrorism-related offenses. She has served in pivotal roles at the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, and the World Bank, where her work has contributed to shaping international legal frameworks and strengthening justice systems worldwide. Adejoké’s scholarship and practice are grounded in a formidable academic foundation. She holds a Doctor of International Affairs and a Master of International Public Policy from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, alongside a Masters of Law in Public International Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is a licensed attorney in the State of New York and co-author and editor of International Criminal Investigations: Law and Practice - the first volume to comprehensively assess the practical and legal aspects of investigating international atrocities. Beyond her legal career, Adejoké harnesses the power of music and storytelling to inspire social change. A singer-songwriter, she released her debut album in 2016 and is a lifelong member of SongRise - a Washington, DC-based women’s a cappella group that uses music to advocate for social justice. Through her artistry, she continues to merge creativity with advocacy, amplifying movements for human rights, reparatory justice, and social transformation. Bridging the worlds of law, policy, and the arts, Adejoké Babington-Ashaye stands as a dynamic advocate for justice committed to confronting legacies of oppression while reimagining a more equitable and inclusive future.

Dr. Kunuji is the Executive Director of the Lex Lata Centre for International Law and Comparative Constitutionalism in Africa, a research organisation dedicated to promoting Africa- oriented research in the fields of International and Constitutional Law. In his capacity as Executive Director of this organisation, Dr. Kunuji has led several research projects and facilitated several seminars, workshops and conferences on topical issues in international and constitutional law. Educated at Cambridge and Warwick Universities in the United Kingdom, Dr Kunuji has taught and held several prestigious fellowships in international and constitutional law at Universities in Europe, North America and Africa. He regularly advises Governments, international organisations, and corporate entities on a wide range of contentious and non-contentious International and Constitutional Law issues including International Criminal Law, International Humanitarian Law, International Human Rights, Transitional Justice, Constitution Making, Democracy, and Structuring/Restructuring of Federal Constitutions. He is a regular commentator on international and constitutional law issues in the mainstream and social media.