A Closer Look

In every episode - a specific legal topic is addressed and discussed with prominent experts in the legal field. The episodes will be made available for the public on Youtube, with an approximate 40 minutes’ length each. The show will be hosted in English. This way you can share it among interested experts, academics, students and friends.

We hope you enjoy our episodes, and we would love to hear your feedback or suggesting relevant legal topics by sending an email to the following address info.mena@kas.de

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Our episodes:

Episode 1: The Draft Tunisian Constitution

Episode 2: The Arab Human Rights System

Episode 3: The Road to Koblenz & The Principle of Universal Jurisdiction 

Episode 4: (Stay Tuned)

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"A Closer Look" - Episode 1:

On the 25th July 2022 Tunisia will be voting on a new draft constitution, published by President Kais Saied in the official gazette on June 30th. The draft was amended shortly after on July 8th, with a new draft being published. The referendum will take place precisely one year after President Saied suspended parliament and dissolved the government – some have called it a coup, others a power grab. Much more has happened since then: the higher judicial council was dissolved and replaced, parliament was explicitly dissolved on top of the suspension, there have been several arrests and 57 judges were fired from their positions. But the population was also asked to answer an online questionnaire, meant to be the basis of the draft. What can we expect from the 25th of July, what is the analysis of the draft constitution, what are its implications?

To know more, you can watch the first episode of our online discussion series here (embedded from YouTube).

Moderator:

- Philipp Bremer (Director of the Rule of Law Programme MENA of KAS).

Experts:

- Prof. Salsabil Klibi (Prof. for Constitutional Law at the Université de Carthage in Tunis),

- Saïd Bernabia (Regional Director for the Middle East & North Africa Programme of ICJ, the International Commission of Jurists), and

- Dr. Malte Gaier (Country Representative of KAS in Tunisia).

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"A Closer Look" - Episode 2:

"Since the end of WWII, the coexistence of regional and global human rights protections has been a fundamental aspect of international law. Regional human rights frameworks play a vital role in shaping global human rights norms and their implementation within specific regional contexts, contributing to both the development and enforcement of these norms. While established regional protection mechanisms in the Americas, Europe, and Africa generally reinforce global human rights norms, newer systems initiated by the League of Arab States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations raise questions about their alignment with global standards". What is the current state of human rights in the Arab World, and what are the primary characteristics that define the Arab Human Rights System? How does it compare with other human rights systems?

To know more, you can watch the second episode of our online discussion series here (embedded from YouTube).

Moderator:

- Philipp Bremer (Director of the Rule of Law Programme MENA of KAS).

Experts:

- Dr. Elie Abouaoun (Visiting Lecturer at Saint Joseph University, Senior Advisor), and

- Fadi Hachem (International Human Rights Lawyer, Researcher and Consultant).

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"A Closer Look" - Episode 3:

“In February 2021, after 108 days of trial proceedings, the court found that acts of murder, torture, and sexual violence had been committed in Syria’s al-Khatib Intelligence Service detention center, marking the first time that members of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime had to answer for crimes committed in Syria. This was also the first domestic court worldwide to recognize Assad’s violent crackdown on his people as a crime against humanity. In October 2019, Germany’s Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office charged two Syrian men with crimes against humanity”. These rulings represented an unprecedented state action against impunity for brutalities committed under the Assad regime. What accounts for such prosecutorial and judicial assertiveness in Germany? Under what conditions is this litigation and prosecution possible before German courts?

To know more, you can watch the third episode of our online discussion series here (embedded from YouTube).

Moderator:

- Philipp Bremer (Director of the Rule of Law Programme MENA of KAS).

Experts:

- Dr. Mónica Castillejos-Aragón (Lecturer, International Huma Rights Lawyer and Program Manager of the Rule of Law and International Justice portfolio at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, New York Office), and

- Prof. Claus Kreß (Professor of International Law and Criminal Law, Director of the Institute of International Peace and Security Law at the University of Cologne).

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