Transitional justice JUSTIN Judicial Studies Institute Masaryk University Katarína Šipulová Brno, 18 September 2023 •Course requirements •What do we need to know about a transition? •What is Transitional Justice? • • • Outline •Exam and requirements: • •1 position paper (2000 words long) •Deadline: 6 December 2023, 18:00 •Analytical •Grounded in theory •Feel free to state your position • •Debate •Selection of groups 29.9.2023 •Submission of reports 12 October 2023 •Debate: 17 October 2023 •Reports of Referees: 20 October 2023 •Exam: written, open-ended questions • • • • • • Course requirements m8j7 •When? •Transition from what? • •How long does it last? • • • • • • • What is a Transition? Theory of transition Dankwart Rustow 1. national unity = statism 2. preparation = liberalisation 3. decisive phase = transition 4. habitation = consolidation Przeworski There is no unitary model of transition or consolidation -Perhaps the best know categorisation of stages of regime‘s transformation is the four level approach of Dankwart Rustow: -First, the state before: unity, statism, status quo -Second, a preparation for a transition. Liberalisation of forces (typically democratic forces, dissent, political organisation, etc.) -Third, the decisive phase, elites (and we will talk more on who these elites are) push for a transition. -Transition in a narrow sense is the moment of a regime break, change of the power, when the old executive force is overthrown, or the sytem of the state is changed dramatically -Fourth, consolidation (first elections, rule of law) -We are interested in third and fourth stage. As we will see later on, transitional justice does not cease to be implemented with the end of the transition. Democratization Back to Transition from what question. 1974-1990 – more thant 30 countries shifted from authoritarian to democratic system of government }Europe, Latin America, East Asia) First wave: America 19. century – culminated with WWI Mussolini‘s march on Rome in 1922 initiated the reverse wave }1942 – 12 democracies left) WWII victory – second wave, 1960s Second reverse> také-overs in Latin America Czechoslovakia from communist régime in 1989 Erdogan in 2011 Poland in 2023? Democratization Back to Transition from what question. 1974-1990 – more thant 30 countries shifted from authoritarian to democratic system of government }Europe, Latin America, East Asia) First wave: America 19. century – culminated with WWI Mussolini‘s march on Rome in 1922 initiated the reverse wave }1942 – 12 democracies left) WWII victory – second wave, 1960s Second reverse> také-overs in Latin America Czechoslovakia from communist régime in 1989 Erdogan in 2011 Poland in 2023? htthttps://ourworldindata.org/democracy Back to Transition from what question. 1974-1990 – more thant 30 countries shifted from authoritarian to democratic system of government }Europe, Latin America, East Asia) First wave: America 19. century – culminated with WWI Mussolini‘s march on Rome in 1922 initiated the reverse wave }1942 – 12 democracies left) WWII victory – second wave, 1960s Second reverse> také-overs in Latin America Czechoslovakia from communist régime in 1989 Erdogan in 2011 Poland in 2023? Third Wave Transitions —Huntington Linz Share – Mainwaring — (1)Transformation = reforma = transaction (2)Replacement = ruptura = breakdown/collapse (3)Transplacement = ruptforma = extrication — Forms of a transition. Categories are rough approximations Transformation (reforma): the leader is the old elite. It is the authocratic leader who agrese to reform the country and moves to a democracy, typically, this would be reform wing of communist parties. On the other hand, transformation can also happen from democracy to authoritarian state. Examples: Spain, Hungary, USSR, Chile, Brazil Replacement (ruptura): opposition takes the lead in democratiyation. Authoritarian régime is either overthwown, or collapses. Examples: East Germany, Portugal, Greece, Argentina, Romania Transplacement (ruptforma) – Not in Linz‘s categorisation. Combination of both, democratization as s result from joint action of governmetn and opposition groups. Round table talks Examples: Poland, CSR, Bolivia, South Africa Occupation – forced by a third subject, typical for post-war Environment due to the engagement of UN forces or foreign armies which help certain subject to get hold of power What is Transitional Justice? a set of judicial and non-judicial mechanisms (institutions, policies, and practice) designed to deal with atrocities and large, almost systematic violations of human rights in the process of transition, aftermath, or anticipation of the fall of a past non-democratic regime (Neil Kritz) What is Transitional Justice? Ruti Teitel: the view of justice associated with periods of political change, as reflected in the phenomenology of primarily legal responses that deal with the wrongdoing of repressive predecessor regimes Encyclopaedia of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity: framework for confronting past abuse as a component of a major political transformation. This generally involves a combination of complementary judicial and non-judicial strategies UN Secretary-General: the full range of processes and mechanisms associated with a society’s attempts to come to terms with a legacy of large-scale past abuses, in order to ensure accountability, serve justice and achieve reconciliation. These may include both judicial and non-judicial mechanisms, with differing levels on international involvement (or none at all) and individual prosecutions, reparations, truth-seeking, institutional reform, vetting and dismissals, or a combination thereof. What is Transitional Justice? • it follows primarily political goals (although addresses also legal, historical and philosophical questions of justice) • • It aims to challenge the legitimacy of old structures and political practices and •to facilitate a moral, political, and legal break from previous regime •to establish and stabilize the democratic legitimacy of a new elite •to lay ground for development of new civil society •to deter future repetition of HR atrocities Where is transitional justice happening? Typically used by: new elites striving to come to terms with atrocities committed by the previous regime. •Postconflict societies •Aiming for democratic transition •Authoritarian postconflict societies with strong cleveages •Other regime transitions recognising past regime’s crimes •To democracy •Away from democracy • •When is TJ happening? •During transition •In the aftermath of transition •In the wake of the transition Historical roots Historical and legal roots •1992 Salzburg (Charter 77); Ruti Teitel and Neil Kritz •Aeschylus’ drama The Oresteia: “The matter is too big for any mortal man who thinks he can judge it.… I shall select judges of manslaughter, and swear them in, establish a court into all time to come…. I established this tribunal. It shall be untouched by money-making, grave but quick to wrath, watchful to protect those who sleep, a sentry on the land.” •Ruti Teitel: Latin America •John Elster – Closing the Books: historical examples, including WW2 • Legal roots: •Jus post bellum •Jus ad bellum (UN Charter) •Jus in bello (Hague and Geneva Conventions) •Kantian imperative of punishment •Deterrence and peacekeeping 1992 Salzburg, conference organized by the NY Charter 77. The aim was to provide post-com countries with the experience from Lam. tJ Project and RoL initiative Core question – how to deal with the public desire for revenge, punishment, redress Ruti Teitel v Neil Kritz Oresteia }Aeschylus]. Orestes, Agamemnon, Clztemnestra andher daugther Haagské konvencie I. a II. mierová konferencia Haagský dohovor o zákonoch a obyčajoch pozemnej vojny (29. júla 1899). Bola výsledkom revízie neratifikovanej bruselskej deklarácie o zákonoch a obyčajoch pozemnej vojnyy (1874). I. Haagský dohovor o zmierlivom urovnávaní mezinárodných sporov (18. októbra 1907), X. Haagský dohovor o prisposobení zásad Ženevského dohovoru z dňa 6. júla 1906 na námornú vojnu (18. októbra 1907) Dohovor na ochranu kultúrnych statkov za ozbrojeného konfliktu a Protokol k nemu (14. mája 1954). Oresteia: Dilemmas of transitional justice •Missing unified theory •Truth v justice dilemma •Peace v justice dilemma •Democracy v justice dilemma • • •Adjective transitional is misleading •Winter and Hansen: any normative changes inside of a political system • •What law to apply? •Whom to prosecute? •Retroactivity? • • Actors of transitional justice • •International – National •International organisations •UN •International courts and tribunals •TRCs •states •State – Non-state •Governments •Opposition (dissent, new elites) •Judiciary (ordinary and constitutional courts) •NGOs •Civic society •Church Transitional Justice Mechanism Transitional Justice Brian Grodsky (2009) Trends in transitional justice •Internationalisation (externalisation) of TJ •Increasing number of actors •Increasing range of mechanism •Smaller space for maneuvre for statespostoj vlád TJ and international law •first: domestic justice processes following regime transition •now: globalizing movement of HR: new normative expectations • •Punish v forget dilemma •Controversial stance on amnesties • • 1. Impunity 2. Accountability De facto De jure Legal Civil Administrative - forget - exil - blanket/ general amnesty - National CP - International CP - International ad hoc - International permanent - Hyberid - TRCs -Reparations -Funds -Lustration Factors influencing TJ decisions •vlád Thank you for your attention Katarína Šipulová katarina.sipulova@law.muni.cz Masaryk University