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Nuremberg Forum 2023

Legally Undeniable: Criminalising Genocide Denial

The International Nuremberg Principles Academy organised the Nuremberg Forum 2023 on the topic "Legally Undeniable: Criminalising Genocide Denial". The conference took place from 19 October, 3 pm CET to 21 October 2023, 3 pm CET, at the historic Courtroom 600 of the Nuremberg Palace of Justice, with the possibility of online and on-site participation. Prior registration was required. 

Genocide denial is more prevalent than ever and continues to pose severe challenges to accountability efforts and post-conflict societies. Through the refusal and negation of historical facts and the circumstances surrounding the perpetration of genocide, denial can contribute to the cultivation of hatred, societal instability, threats against vulnerable groups or even the repetition of atrocities.

The Nuremberg Forum 2023 addressed the timely topic of genocide denial, by exploring it as a concept and in context, what it is, how it manifests itself and how to regulate it. With regard to genocide denial, the main focus was on the Holocaust, the Rwandan and the Srebrenica genocide. Experts assessed what multilateral and national efforts have been undertaken to address genocide denial, including prevention and punishment. Special attention was also given to legal responses to denial, including relevant jurisprudence of international criminal tribunals related to speech crimes.

The conference consisted of five panels:

Panel I: Denial: De Facto, de Jure and in Doctrina

This panel discussed the conceptual nature of denial. The following questions were addressed:

  • Is denial inextricably linked to racism, xenophobia and antisemitism?
  • Is denial driven by ideology? If so, which?
  • Do anti-denial laws infringe unjustifiably upon freedom of speech?
  • Are incitement to genocide and genocide denial two sides of the same coin?


Panel II: The Effects of Denial in Post-Conflict Societies

This panel assessed and reflected on the challenges that denial poses in post-conflict societies. The following questions were addressed:

  • What is the on-the-ground reality in these societies?
  • Why is denial occurring?
  • Is criminalisation effective? What is the effect on victims?
  • Can an utterance constitute "denial" within the context of ongoing conflicts?


Panel III: Denial, its Regulation and Legal Peculiarities

This panel discussed how denial is regulated in different societies and discussed the differences in the approaches used. The panel addressed the following questions:

  • How do we diligently and meaningfully balance the suppression of denial with the protection of free speech?
  • What is the legal interest that denial laws seek to protect?
  • Should denial laws be framed around the motivation or the effect of the speech? If so, what motivations or effects should matter?


Panel IV: Redress, Recognition and Reconciliation

This panel examined the different avenues for providing redress for victims, the effect of such measures on victims and the challenges that continue to hinder reparative processes. The key questions for the panel were:

  • Which factors should be considered in determining the priorities and approaches to reparations for victims of genocide?
  • Which options are available to address the multitude of claims from large numbers of victims in different situations?
  • How can anti-denial measures contribute to guarantees of non-repetition?
  • How can societies dealing with genocide denial ensure that the processes for providing reparations avoid the re-traumatisation of survivors?


Panel V: Undeniable and not Unsolvable. Other Ways Forward

This panel explored plausible solutions and the steps needed to tackle the various challenges presented by denial. The following questions were addressed:

  • How can education be a driving force in combatting denial discourses?
  • What is the role of transitional justice measures in the fight against genocide denial?
  • What can online platform companies do to tackle genocide denial?
  • Which type of multilateral actions can be enacted to counteract genocide denial?

 

Speakers were inter alia:

Serge Brammertz, Chief Prosecutor, United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals

Dr Navi Pillay, President, Advisory Council of the International Nuremberg Principles Academy; former High Commissioner, United Nations High Commission for Human Rights; former Judge, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and International Criminal Court

Christian Schmidt, High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Dr Ludwig Spaenle, Commissioner for Jewish Life and Against Anti-Semitism, For Remembrance Work and Historical Heritage, Bavaria 

Prof. Nadine Strossen, Professor of Law, New York Law School, former ACLU President

Munira Subašic, President, Mothers of Srebrenica

Alice Wairimu Nderitu, Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide to the United Nations Secretary General, United Nations

The Nuremberg Forum is the main annual international conference organised by the Nuremberg Academy every year in October. It brings together leading experts, practitioners and scholars, policymakers and civil society by providing a forum for dialogue and a spotlight on contemporary topics in international criminal law.

The conference is particularly relevant to practitioners, academics and students in international criminal law, transitional justice, human rights law, public international law, political science, history and philosophy. We especially welcome young scholars, experts and practitioners to take part in the discussions.

The Nuremberg Forum is held in English. It is open to the public and free of charge. Prior registration is required.

The Nuremberg Academy published the recorded videos on its YouTube channel and will prepare a written conference report in due course. The programme remains available for download.


Photos of the Conference – copyright: International Nuremberg Principles Academy

Nuremberg Forum 2023 – Legally Undeniable: Criminalising Genocide Denial
Director Professor Dr Christoph Safferling welcoming the participants
Opening remarks by Dr Navi Pillay, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and President of the Advisory Council of the Nuremberg Academy
Opening remarks by Dr Thomas Dickert, Président of the Nuremberg Higher Regional Court
Dr Navi Pillay, Dr Serge Brammertz, Professor Dr Christoph Safferling, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, Christian Schmidt, Dr Wiebke Rückert (from left to right)
The Nuremberg Forum offered three days of intense discussion and exchange.
Aimable Havugiyaremye, Dr Ludwig Spaenle, Dr Nasser Ahmed and Dr Thomas Dickert (from left to right)
Opening remarks by Dr Nasser Ahmed, representative of the City of Nuremberg
Opening remarks by Dr Wiebke Rückert, Director for Public International Law, German Federal Foreign Office
The conference was livestreamed.
Project Officer Alexander Fernandes-Köhler was moderating the conference.
Professor Dr Christoph Safferling, Dr Serge Brammertz and Dr Christoph Thonfeld (from left to right)
Christian Schaal, Dr Wiebke Rückert and Professor Dr Christoph Safferling (from left to right)
Karl Huber (right) in conversation with Ria Schmidt (left)
Genocide Survivor Interviews moderated by Dr Serge Brammertz
Munira Subašic
Dr Serge Brammertz, Honoré Gatera and Dr Christoph Thonfeld (from left to right)
Dr Ludwig Spaenle, Representative for Jewish Life and Against Anti-Semitism, For Remembrance and Historical Heritage, Bavaria, giving his keynote address
Keynote address by Alice Wairimu Nderitu, Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide to the United Nations Secretary General, United Nations
The representatives of the co-organising institutions, Dr Serge Brammertz (left) and Alice Wairimu Nderitu (right)
Professor Dr Christoph Safferling
Munira Subašic (left) talking with Dr Navi Pillay (right)
Panel I – Denial: De Facto, de Jure and in Doctrina, with Professor Nadine Strossen, moderator Kiran Mohandas Menon, Professor Dr Christoph Safferling and Stephen Rapp (from left to right)
Professor Dr Christoph Safferling (left) and Stephen Rapp (right)
Professor Nadine Strossen (left) and Kiran Mohandas Menon (right)
The co-organisers and members of the Academy’s Advisory Council
Peter Hilzinger, Petra Strohbach and Aimable Havugiyaremye (from left to right)
Dr Emir Suljagic asking a question
Behind the scenes, the technical team ensured the smooth running of the hybrid event.
Panel II – The Effects of Denial in Post-Conflict Societies, with Christian Schmidt, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, moderator Darleen Seda, Dr Serge Brammertz and Aimable Havugiyaremye (from left to right)
Darleen Seda, Dr Serge Brammertz and Aimable Havugiyaremye (from left to right)
H.E. Dr Athaliah Lesiba Molokomme asking a question
Christian Schmidt (left) and Alice Wairimu Nderitu (right)
Panel III – Denial, its Regulation and Legal Peculiarities, with Professor Belinda Cooper, Professor Gregory S. Gordon, moderator Dr Pablo Gavira Díaz, Teresa Ott and Professor Almir Maljevic (from left to right)
Dr Pablo Gavira Díaz, Teresa Ott and Professor Almir Maljevic (from left to right)
Professor Belinda Cooper (left) and Professor Gregory S. Gordon (right)
Dr Imanuel Baumann, Director of the Memorium Nuremberg Trials, introducing the exhibition
Audience
State Reception by invitation of the Bavarian Ministry of Justice
The Bavarian Minister of Justice, Georg Eisenreich, during his welcoming address
Professor Dr Charlotte Bühl-Gramer (2nd from left), Professor Julia Lehner (3rd from left), Karl Freller (2nd from right) and Minister Georg Eisenreich (right)
Professor Dr Christoph Safferling during his response address
Dr Serge Brammertz, Professor Dr Christoph Safferling, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, Minister Georg Eisenreich and Professor Julia Lehner (from left to right)
H.E. Dr Athaliah Lesiba Molokomme, Professor Dr Christoph Safferling, Minister Georg Eisenreich and Dr Navi Pillay (from left to right)
Panel IV – Redress, Recognition and Reconciliation, with Aimable Havugiyaremye, Samra Cardakovic, moderator Dr Gurgen Petrossian, Maria Wilke and Honoré Gatera (from left to right)
Aimable Havugiyaremye (left) and Samra Cardakovic (right)
David Kaye asking a question
Dr Gurgen Petrossian, Maria Wilke and Honoré Gatera (from left to right)
Panel V – Undeniable and not Unsolvable. Other Ways Forward, with Professor Dr Charlotte Bühl-Gramer, David Kaye, moderator Laurel Baig, Dr Emir Suljagic and Tali Nates (from left to right)
Professor Dr Charlotte Bühl-Gramer
David Kaye
A question from the audience
Dr Emir Suljagic (left) and Tali Nates (right)
Professor Dr Christoph Safferling giving his closing remarks
Video recordings of the Nuremberg Forum are available on the Nuremberg Academy’s YouTube channel.
 

Videos of the Conference - Copyright: International Nuremberg Principles Academy

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Opening Remarks by Prof. Dr Christoph Safferling, Dr Navi Pillay, Dr Thomas Dickert, Dr Nasser Ahmed, Dr Wiebke Rückert

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Genocide Survivor Interviews with Munira Subašic, Honoré Gatera, Christoph Thonfeld moderated by Dr Serge Brammertz

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Panel II with Christian Schmidt, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, Aimable Havugiyaremye, Dr Serge Brammertz

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Panel IV with Aimable Havugiyaremye, Samra Cardakovic, Maria Wilke, Honoré Gatera

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Keynote Addresses by Dr Ludwig Spaenle, Alice Wairimu Nderitu

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Panel I with Prof. Nadine Strossen, Stephen Rapp, Prof. Dr Christoph Safferling

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Panel III with Prof. Belinda Cooper, Prof. Gregory Gordon, Teresa Ott, Prof. Dr Almir Maljevic

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Panel V with Prof. Dr Charlotte Bühl-Gramer, David Kaye, Emir Suljagic, Tali Nates

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Closing Remarks by Prof. Dr Christoph Safferling