سه دلیلی که مدافعان حقوق بشر دقیقا اکنون باید احساس خوش‌بینی کنند (از هفته‌نامه تایم)

سه دلیلی که مدافعان حقوق بشر دقیقا اکنون باید احساس خوش‌بینی کنند (از هفته‌نامه تایم)

It’s worth reflecting for a moment on three major events that took place last week.

General Ratko Mladić, known as “the Butcher of Bosnia,” was finally convicted for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court requested an investigation into crimes committed in Afghanistan since 2013 by all sides, including U.S. forces. And Robert Mugabe resigned as President of Zimbabwe after a 37-year rule marred by killings, torture and enforced disappearances.

These three cases are significant for three reasons.

First, they serve as a reminder and a warning to current leaders, military commanders and high-level officials that their apparent immunity might not be absolute. That no matter how strong and invulnerable they currently feel, and how confident they are in their ability to fend off accusation of grave crimes, their luck may change.

Second, they are the strongest possible incentive for those of us who meticulously investigate and expose human rights violations, and that includes human rights activists and journalists, to continue doing so – no matter how slim the prospect of justice would appear. Because without the testimonies, the photographs and other evidence that we collect, sometimes for months and years on end, it would be impossible to build the case against the violators and hold them to account.

Finally, and most importantly, every such event, be it a verdict, a prospect of an international investigation, or an ouster of a repressive president, gives hope for millions of people around the world who suffer great injustices on a daily basis. This hope is the foundation of their strength, and allows them to survive and maintain their faith in humanity in the most harrowing circumstances.

We must not forget that it is our duty too, to keep this hope alive—by carrying on the relentless fight for justice.


http://time.com/5037701/amnesty-international-ratko-mladic-robert-mugabe/