On the Front-Line of Accountability – War Reporting and Related Contemporary Issues in International Humanitarian and Criminal Law

21/1

2011

THE HAGUE - On the Front-Line of Accountability – War Reporting and Related Contemporary Issues in International Humanitarian and Criminal Law, will focus on three interrelated issues pertaining to the multi-layered relationship between the media – specifically the war correspondent – and the existing legal framework of international humanitarian and international criminal law.

The conference is the shared initiative of the University of Amsterdam, the Free University, Amsterdam and Leiden University. The conference will be of relevance first and foremost to journalists and lawyers active in international criminal and humanitarian law, however, we envisage a multidisciplinary audience from the legal, communications and social sciences sectors.

In light of the rapid evolution of contemporary modes and methods of conflict reporting over the course of the past two decades, alongside the reinvigoration of the international community’s commitment to the institution of a concrete international criminal justice framework the conference will: assess the changing face of contemporary war reporting from practical ‘front line’, legal and ethical perspectives; critically examine the existing regime of protections for journalists under international humanitarian law; and consider the role of the war correspondent in the context of international criminal proceedings. The T.M.C. Asser Instituut is a non-profit, inter-university foundation for research and education in the field of international law.

Conference Programme
Welcome and introduction: Frans Nelissen (Director, T.M.C. Asser Instituut)/ Steven
Blockmans (Head of Research, T.M.C. Asser) - Confirmed

Keynote address:
Geoffrey Robertson QC (former Judge at SCSL, represented Washington Post journalist
Jonathon Randal at the ICTY in 2002-2003) - Confirmed

Session I: Contemporary Issues in War Reporting – Views from the Front-Line
Envisaged speakers:
Ben Anderson (spent period embedded with British troops in Helmand province, has extensive experience of reporting from conflict zones) - Confirmed
Ammar al-Shahbander (IWPR, Head of Baghdad Office) - Invited
David Leigh (Head of Investigations, The Guardian, played significant role in dissemination of the Wikileaks ‘Afghan War Logs’) – Confirmed
Chairperson: Marcel Smits (Head of The Hague Office, IWPR) - Confirmed

12.30 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 Session II: The Protection of Journalists Under International Humanitarian Law – Is there an adequate framework in place?
Robin Geiss - Confirmed
Julia Hoffmann (University of Amsterdam) - Confirmed
Dr. Robert Heinsch (Leiden University) – Invited
Anthony Borden (IWPR, Executive Director) - Invited
Chairperson: Prof. Terry Gill (University of Amsterdam) - Confirmed

16.00 Coffee break

16.30 Session III: The Role of the Media in the International Criminal Justice Enterprise Possible topics to be addressed:
Michel de Smedt (Head of Investigations at the ICC) – Confirmed that ICC will participate
Chrisje Brants (University of Utrecht) - Confirmed
Ljilana Pitesa (Spokesperson for the ICTY OTP) – Confirmed that the ICTY will participate
Ed Vulliamy (Guardian journalist and war correspondent) – Invited
Chairperson: Joseph Powderly (T.M.C. Asser) - Confirmed

18.30 Closing of Conference and drinks