Conscience of The World Convenes in Istanbul
The court is against ignoring the global dimensions of the anti-war movement and opposes the fact that political and economic plans are devised behind close doors by only a few people. Therefore, among its aims is to put pressure on politicians and get them pay attention to the anti-war movement when making decisions.
What will happen during the hearing?
The hearing sessions will be held on June 24-26.
There will be an opening ceremony in the evening on June 23. Turkish musicians Erkan Ogur, Ismail Demircioglu, Ayse Tutuncu Piano Percussion Group and Iraqi musician Omar Bashir will perform at the opening ceremony.
A film by American journalist Mark Manning on the Fellujah siege will be on screen for the first time during the hearing. The film is on interviews with Iraqis who survived the siege.
Following the discussions to be held on June 24-26, the jury on June 27 will make its verdict.
The final hearing will focus mainly on the crimes committed against the people of Iraq and the problems of enforcing justice. The judges will then reach a conclusion on the legitimacy of the war and the invasion, the crimes committed by the coalition forces during war, the inadequacy of international institutions in preventing the war, and the medias cooperation in committing war crimes and human rights violations.
The main topics of the hearing will be: The Role of International Law and Institutions, Cultural Heritage, Natural Resources, Global Security and Alternatives for the Future. The hearing will end with a closing speech by Arundhati Roy on behalf of the Jury of Conscience.
Assertion panel and witnesses
Besides experts of international law, human rights and war crimes, the hearing will also bring witnesses of the Iraqi invasion to Istanbul. Among participants will be conscientious objectors and senior officials of the United Nations.
Some of the names that stand out are: Barbara Olhansky (USA), Amy Bartholomew (Canada), Christine Chinkin (England), Corrine Kumar (Tunisia), David Miller (Scotland), Dennis Halliday (Ireland), Fadhil Albedrani (Iraq), Haifa Zangana (Iraq/England), Hans von Sponeck (Germany/Switzerland), Huda al Nuaimi (Iraq), John Ross (USA), Niloufer Bhagwat (India).
Turkish academicians and journalists such as Ayse Gul Altinay, Omer Madra, Baskin Oran and Mete Cubukcu will be heading some of the sessions and making presentations.
Jury of Conscience
The jury of conscience, represented by writer and activist Arundhati Roy, will ask questions after each session, and deliver the closing speech evaluating the hearing process. On July 27, the jury will also announce its verdict. The verdict will not be legally bounding, but aims to disclose the events of the war and hold the leaders responsible.
Ayse Berktay from the committee of organizers, told bianet that the members of the jury will be able to question the assertion panel and witnesses during coffee breaks, as well as during the time given to them.
Among members of the jury are Murat Belge (Turkey), Eve Ensler (USA), Francois Houtart (Belgium), Rela Mazali (Israel) and Yasmin Sooka (South Africa).
What has the court done up until today?
The World Court of Iraq is a global initiative inspired by the Russell court, which tried the U.S. during the Vietnam war. Ken Coates, one of the organizers of the Russell court, will also be in Istanbul for the hearing.
Some of the hearings and peoples courts looking into war crimes and human rights violations were held in London, Mumbai, New York, Brussels, Rome and South Korea.
The final hearing of the World Court of Iraq was announced through a press conference on April 14. Bush and Blair were summoned to court by letters sent through the U.S. and British consulates. (EK/TK/YE)
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Registration details for the hearing, and the schedule and the full list of participants may be reached at: www.istanbul.worldtribunal.org