Ambassador Stephen J. Rapp, former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, took part in a Centre for International Law Research and Policy (CILRAP) Conversation on World Order. He addressed the risks of overusing the genocide classification and its relevance to situations such as Ukraine and Rakhine, the role of incitement and local political culture, and the emerging notion of suigenocide. He reflected on the achievements of the Special Court for Sierra Leone and their applicability to Muslim-majority contexts, as well as the experience of the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal. Other themes included the idea of “good enough” criminal justice for core international crimes, accountability for atrocities in Syria, and documentary evidence implicating Iranian actors. Ambassador Rapp also discussed the links between Iranian nuclear negotiations and minority rights, the significance of investing in accountability for crimes against Muslims, and the expectation of building national accountability capacity. Drawing on his service in the U.S. Office of Global Criminal Justice, he shared insights into the value of such institutions, the quality of government support for the ICC, and the importance of maintaining integrity standards among ICC States Parties.
