Fiona and Lord Alton of Liverpool recently hosted a parliamentary event on 'The Question of Genocide Determination.'
The aim of the event was to scrutinise a bill on genocide determination tabled by both parliamentarians and to consider the UK Government’s failure to recognise certain mass atrocities as genocide. The speakers included Professor Sir Geoffrey Nice QC, Barrister and Professor of Law, Dr Adrian Gallagher, Professor at Leeds University and Research Director at the ECR2P. The speakers agreed that the current approach of the UK Government involving leaving the question of genocide determination to 'international judicial systems' is flawed and in breach of the UK's obligations under the UN Convention on the Prevention and Prosecution of the Crime of Genocide. This approach cannot be justified and a change is urgently needed. The speakers praised the tabling of the bill by Fiona and Lord Alton of Liverpool for being able to address the current failure of the UK Government and to provide for a more expedious and efficient way to address such mass atrocities.
Dr Pieter Omtzigt, Member of the Dutch Parliament and Special Rapporteur on Bringing Daesh to Justice, who was not able to join in person, gave a presentation via video to explain how a similar failure of the Dutch Government was recently successfully addressed with the Dutch Government obtained an expert opinion that politicians can make the determination of genocide is supported by strong evidence and legal opinion of experts in the field.
The event was attended by Parliamentarians, members of civil societies, lawyers and academics.
The event was coorganised by the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Prevention of Genocide & Crimes Against Humanity in cooperation with Ewelina Ochab, human rights advocate and researcher.