Opening speech by the Batonnier de l’Ordre des Avocats du Burundi (the Burundi Bar Association)

Drawing 45 Burundian lawyers, IBJ’s four-day training event in Bujumbura, Burundi, opened on July 12th with a speech by the Batonnier de l’Ordre des Avocats du Burundi, or the Burundia Bar Association.

Lawyers in Bujumbura, Burundi learn about building the theme and theory of a case

The first part of the training began with lawyers learning to build a theme and theory of a case and the importance it can play when preparing a case. IBJ’s Training Director, Kellie Krake, provided training on direct and cross-examinations of witnesses. Skills workshops allowed participants to practice what was being taught through a mock crime scene that could only be reconstructed through formulating and asking questions to witnesses.

Participants in the training construct a mock crime scene

Moreover, a refresher on various defenses under the Burundian Penal Code, including nullities and implementation, constituted a prelude to develop participant’s creativity into using broader local law resources and international conventions in preparation of strong defenses or in invoking nullities of procedure. IBJ’s Burundian Legal Fellow, Astère Muyango, spoke of the importance of putting in place a competent legal aid system.

The last two days of the training included other participants coming from across the spectrum of Burundi’s criminal justice system. These included magistrates, judicial police officers, and prison officials. A special guest speaker discussed the criminal proceedings involving juveniles. Presentations included international standards and Aline Njimbere, an IBJ Legal Fellow, explored with participants the changes to the Criminal Procedure Code. Mock demonstrations were conducted for participants to identify and discuss irregularities in procedures.

Judicial police officers and legal aid lawyers receiving training side-by-side

An overarching goal of this training was to strengthen understanding and dialogue amongst the different actors working in the system to build a sense of community with a common purpose, to improve Burundi’s justice system. Participants were encouraged to share their personal stories and values, to imagine the ideal of fairness in the justice system and to identify ways to work towards those ideals, and to pinpoint other issues they are face together as stakeholders in Burundi’s justice system. The training proved to be a great success. Whether it was a new way of thinking, preparing a better defense, or improving their technical skills, almost all participants thanked IBJ for contributing to their professional development.

The Batonnier ended the training with a final inspirational speech and the awarding of certificates to the participants. With all these actors moving together to apply the skills learned and values shared in the training, Burundi is one step closer to realizing the kind of fair and equitable justice system that had been envisioned in the training.

All images courtesy Krzysztof Racoń and Michal Wojtysiak, copyright 2011.

Kellie Krake and John Tawanda Burombo share legal skills at IBJ's training workshop in Kigali, Rwanda

It was quite hot in Kigali on July 20^th 2011. Despite the heat, 30 defense lawyers gathered at IBJ’s Rwanda office for a skills building training workshop to strengthen their ability to advocate for the rights of their clients. Kellie Krake, IBJ’s Training Director and an American lawyer with years of criminal defense experience, and John Busco Bugingo, the head of IBJ Rwanda, were at the helm of this intense training workshop.

Participants were very eager to share their values, stories, and to learn. Ideas and answers to questions came from all sides. The workshop focused on cross-examination techniques where lawyers analyzed a fact scenario to identify what to ask clients to get the most information out of them. Lawyers were also trained on how to build the theme and theory of the case. A presentation on early access to counsel and international standards followed. After the morning session, participants received a certificate of attendance identifying the skills they had just learned.

Rwandan attorneys take note of the criminal defense practice tips IBJ delivers

The second half of the daywas dedicated to training the trainers. The purpose of a Train the Trainers program is to get more experienced lawyers to be able to pass their skills onto others. Participants learned how to conduct a good and competent training session, and learned how to focus their efforts. They were also provided with materials to facilitate this task. Under IBJ’s current program, over 180 Rwandan lawyers have been trained in the last three years. In order to capitalize on this success, IBJ is now deploying the more skilled criminal defense lawyers to train others and thus multiply their impact.

IBJ Skills Training Workshop

The workshop was also a valuable networking opportunity for participants, who were given the opportunity to get involved as IBJ volunteer lawyers.

All images courtesy Krzysztof Racoń and Michal Wojtysiak, copyright 2011.

IBJ Geneva interns attend Preventing and Responding to Genocide and Mass Atrocities seminar

Preventing torture and preventing genocide are more related than one might think on first impression. In fact, holistically, they are part of the same broader mission: justice. This lesson was waiting for three IBJ interns—Kari Gerber, Yen Phan, and Sanket Mistry—on June 27 when they attended the first of a three day seminar on Preventing and Responding to Genocide and Mass Atrocities, hosted jointly by the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and the Geneva Center for Security Policy in Geneva, Switzerland.

The first day the interns were ‘introduced’ to genocide. Invented by Raphael Lemkin in 1943, Geno meaning race, a group, etc .,and -Cide meaning killing or destruction, was adopted by the UN, upon lobbying the UN by Lemkin himself, on almost a daily to describe the Holocaust as a genocide. With the definition getting refined and different perspectives were brought forward, which included artists, poets, writers, and civil societies, the interns were soon introduced to the strategy for prevention: Responsibility to Protect (R2P).

Right: Sanket Mistry during the first of the three days of the seminar

 

Interns Yen Phan and Sanket Mistry pose for a group photo at the end of day two

On June 29, the program concluded with a lunch-time panel which included Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Dr. Francis M. Deng, Special Adviser for the Prevention of Genocide.

Pillay spoke about the importance of preventing genocide and mass atrocities while commenting on the current situations in North Africa and the Middle East. She laid out the three pillars of R2P: 1) the responsibility of nations to adopt to protect; 2) the need for international assistance and capacity building; and 3) timely responses as a mechanism. Pillay talked about the importance of the police and justice systems, and how their training should include human rights. As the first line of accountability, when the justice systems fail, the next mechanism must be international mechanism, but only as a last resort. R2P does not just happen.

Echoing Pillay, Deng commented that actually divided societies make the division a source of conflict.  Identity conflicts lead to genocide. He also noted that R2P is not legal, but a political concept.

On the whole the interns gained a broader perspective of what justice means and how their work relates to preventing genocide and mass atrocities. As the interns continue their work for IBJ, their contributions will come with a broader perspective and commitment to justice.