tribunal

The tribunal’s message came as it released its genocide verdict following four days of public hearings in Istanbul, Turkiye.

The Gaza Tribunal has issued its final findings, saying that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and that “Israeli perpetrators and their Western enablers” should not be allowed to escape justice for their crimes.

The unofficial tribunal, which was established in London last November, gave its “moral judgement” on Sunday, following four days of public hearings in Istanbul, Turkiye.

Presided over by Richard Falk, a former United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, the initiative comes in the tradition of the Russell Tribunal, which heard evidence in 1967 of United States war crimes in Vietnam.

The year-long Gaza process involved collecting information, hearing witnesses and survivors, and archiving the evidence.

In its ruling, the tribunal’s jury condemned the genocide in Gaza and crimes including the mass destruction of residential properties, the deliberate denial of food to the civilian population, torture, and the targeting of journalists.

Criticism of post-war plans

After saying that Israel’s war on Gaza shows global governance is failing to uphold its duties, the tribunal recommended that all “perpetrators, supporters and enablers” be held accountable and that Israel be suspended from international organisations like the UN.

The jury also found Western governments, “particularly the United States”, complicit with Israel through the provision of “diplomatic cover, weapons, weapon parts, intelligence, military assistance and training, and continuing economic relations”.

As well as calling for justice, the tribunal criticised two post-war plans put forward by US President Donald Trump and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, suggesting they “ignore the rights of the Palestinian people under international law” while “doing nothing to rein in the perpetrators of genocide”.

“Palestinians must lead the restoration of Gaza, and Israel and its enablers must be held responsible for all reparations,” members of the tribunal said in a statement.

Given that it is not a court of law, the tribunal “does not purport to determine guilt or liability of any person, organisation or state”, but should rather be seen as a civil society response to the war on Gaza, the jury said.

“We believe that genocide must be named and documented and that impunity feeds continuing violence throughout the globe,” the jurors explained. “Genocide in Gaza is the concern of all humanity. When states are silent civil society can and must speak out.”

Israel is facing genocide accusations – brought by South Africa – at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Although it is likely to be years before the ICJ gives its judgement, it found in an interim ruling in January 2024 that it is “plausible” that Israel is violating the 1948 UN Genocide Convention.

Israel has repeatedly denied accusations that it has committed genocide in Gaza.

A BBC radio presenter who was sacked for his inappropriate radio segments says he thought he was acting within the guidelines.

Jack Murley, from Bodmin, was employed by BBC Radio Cornwall, in Truro, from 2019 until he was taken off air by the broadcaster in 2023.

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His dismissal came after a “heated conversation” with his boss over his social media use.

The presenter was taken off air despite believing he was “acting within the BBC’s social media guidelines”, a tribunal heard.

Since 2022 Mr Murley had offered his views on social media about the BBC’s Local Value For All project, questions were also raised about one of his radio features.

Mr Murley’s Loosest Goose segment, a satirical show that included innuendo, was described at the disciplinary hearing as being “deeply inappropriate” and “well beyond innuendo.”

One of the beebs senior news editors told the tribunal it had been a “clear and straightforward decision” to consider the case as “gross misconduct.”

At the hearing in Exeter Mr Murley explained he would have been willing to make changes or even “undertake training” to keep his job.

He said if concerns were raised with him he would have acted to address them.

The former presenter is now seeking a whopping £48,000 in compensation.

The corporation said they removed the presenter from the airwaves because of the “heated conversation” he had with his manager.

According to Mr Murley the row stemmed from his social media use, which the firm took issue with.

A senior news editor at BBC Wales was the hearing manager for the disciplinary proceedings brought against Mr Murley.

The senior news editor said social media posts were viewed in the same light as a broadcast.

Speaking at the tribunal he would go on to say Mr Murley: “Should have had the knowledge and experience to be compliant with the guidelines.”

Mr Murley’s disciplinary hearing went to appeal and the hearing manager director of BBC Northern Ireland, Adam Smyth, upheld the decision.

Smyth said the corporation has to “be sure that our presenters are trustworthy.”

Mr Murley is said to have claimed he had several examples of managers endorsing his innuendo in his Loosest Goose radio feature.

He questioned how he was supposed to know that the show breached guidelines given that his seniors endorsed it.

The former presenter explained at the hearing: “I thought I was in the right.”

He added: “I think there was a way back, I wanted to stay at the BBC, I loved the BBC.”

The tribunal continues.

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An unofficial tribunal led by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused the UK of aiding Israel’s war crimes and being complicit in genocide. Its findings carry no legal weight, but the testimonies of those who witnessed the suffering in Gaza have been stark.

Deposed prime minister and others are indicted for crimes against humanity, with trial set for August.

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has indicted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two senior officials over alleged crimes against humanity linked to a deadly crackdown on protesters during last year’s July uprising.

The tribunal, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder and comprising justices Shafiul Alam Masud and Mohitul Enam Chowdhury, formally charged Hasina on Thursday.

Proceedings will begin on August 3 with opening statements, followed by the first witness testimony.

Hasina, who fled to India following a student-led uprising last August, had been facing several charges. Earlier this month, in a separate ruling, she was sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court by the ICT. That had marked the first time she had received a formal sentence in any of the cases.

Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam said that the sentence delivered in absentia will take effect if Hasina is arrested or voluntarily returns to Bangladesh.

The two other accused on Thursday are former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah al-Mamun. While al-Mamun appeared before the court and remains in custody, both Hasina and Kamal have fled abroad.

The charges stem from Hasina’s now ousted government’s violent response to mass demonstrations, which critics say resulted in widespread human rights abuses and hundreds of deaths.

Hasina, who now lives in self-imposed exile in India after being deposed following a 15-year rule, has dismissed the tribunal as politically motivated.