Our Work

Rohingya refugees crossing from Myanmar into Bangladesh. © Adam Dean/Pano 

The Australian Centre for International Justice recommends that any sanctions determination process must ensure that the criminal prosecution of perpetrators of serious human rights violations that amount to international crimes, should be Australia’s primary objective to combating impunity for serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, but in circumstances where prosecution it is not likely, targeted sanctions can be a powerful tool to hold perpetrators accountable.

In March 2020, the Australian Centre for International Justice was invited to provide evidence to the Committee at a hearing. The Committee heard evidence throughout the year from impacted diaspora communities, academics and high-profile lawyers and advocates from around the world, including Geoffrey Robertson QC. Our recommendations included: that a sanctions determination process ensures contribution of civil society and NGOs; and that an independent committee be established to provide recommendations, monitoring and guidance, among others, were accepted by the Parliamentary Committee in its report released in November 2020. The Australian Centre for International Justice will continue to engage with the process when a draft bill is introduced in Federal Parliament in 2021.