On 9-10 May 2025, The KCIL
arranged a 2-day workshop for the Judges and General Prosecutors in Erbil
province regarding prosecution of international crimes. Under the Justice
Resilience Initiative in the Kurdistan Region (KRI), This project is funded by the
German Ministry of Foreign Affairs via Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (IFA).
The workshop commenced with A short overview of the KCIL initiatives with the
Judicial Council and General Prosecutor, including past and current projects by
Hawre Ahamad, the KCIL executive director. At the beginning of the first day,
Professor Dr. Mohammed Rashid introduced the participants to the Central Guide
to International Criminal Law and the stages of trial within the International
Criminal Court. Following this, Ms. Gabriela Radu presented a paper on the
contemporary dimensions of prosecuting international crimes. The final session
of the first day focused on individual and joint criminal responsibility (JCE)
by Dr. Gurgen Petrossian. In the second day of the workshop for the KRI Judges
and general Prosecutors, participants were familiarised with prosecution of
international crimes, prosecution of war crimes, State liabilities under Geneva
Convention, and role of Judges in deliberating the aspects of the Genocide crime
and crime against hummaity through taking insights from Rome Statute and last
developments regarding accountability of international crimes at the State and
individual levels. Respectively, In the margins of the sessions, The KCIL and
participants were discussed around lobbying and advocacy pathways in the
enactment of the KCIL drafted bill on combating and prosecuting international
crimes in the KRI within the Kurdistan parliament, and application mechanisms
within the KRI courts.