Date: Thursday 26 May, 20:00 - 21:30
Venue: Campus The Hague, Location Stichthage
As part of the two day conference "Terrorists on Trial: Performative Perspectives" organised and hosted by the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIAS), ICCT co-hosted a lecture and panel debate on "Preventing Impunity: Terrorists on Trial".
The two day conference "Terrorists on Trial: Performative Perspectives" dealt with a new dimension in terrorism research. Results of the NIAS Research Theme Group "Terrorists on Trial. The Court Room as a Stage in the Struggle for Publicity, Public Support and Legitimacy" were presented during those days. The determination whether an act of protest, resistance, intimidation or violence amounts to ‘terrorism’ is, the group argued, formally made in court. The decisions in terrorist trials therefore reverberate in society; they have an impact on terrorists and their sympathisers and can shape or break public support for government measures against terrorism. By analysing the behaviour of terrorists in such trials and the role of all other parties involved, the conference took a fresh look at the judicial, political and social impacts of a series of such trials held both before and after 11 September 2001.
As part of this conference, ICCT co-hosted a public lecture and panel debate on "Preventing Impunity: Terrorists on Trial". During this event, keynote lectures were given by Judge Howard Morrison (ICTY), who discussed his experiences as Judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, and Prof. Mike Newton (Vanderbilt University Law School), who discussed the issue of terrorism and justice. Following the lectures, an interactive panel debate took place under the chairmanship of ICCT Director Peter Knoope. The evening was concluded with a drinks reception.
