Election Results 2023
President
MARIE-HÉLÈNE PROULX
Marie-Hélène Proulx is a lawyer admitted to the Québec Bar since 2003. She is currently an Associate Counsel in the Defence team of Mr. Patrice-Édouard Ngaïssona before the International Criminal Court. She previously worked as a Legal Consultant for the appeal proceedings in the case of Dominic Ongwen, as Associate Counsel for Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz (ICC), and in the Defence team of Hassan Habib Merhi before the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. She was also appointed Ad Hoc Counsel at the Office of Public Counsel for the Defence and acted as Rule 74 Legal Adviser at the ICC. She acted as Counsel for Jean de Dieu Kamuhanda, and is currently a pro bono Counsel for Mr. Siméon Nchamihigo before the IRMCT. She also worked as a Legal Officer at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and at the ICC, Teaching Assistant at the University of Geneva and Legal Adviser at the ICRC Advisory Service on International Humanitarian Law at the Geneva Headquarters. She obtained a law degree from the Université de Montréal (Canada) as well as a LL.M from the University Centre for International Humanitarian Law (now Geneva Academy). She is currently the President of the ICCBA and was previously a member of the Executive Council (2019-2020) and of the Training Committee (2020-2021).
Executive Council
IAIN EDWARDS (Full Member)
Iain Edwards is a barrister at the Bar of England and Wales (practising since September 2001). Since 2009, the focus of his practice has been defending in international criminal cases. He has represented, or assisted in the representation of, clients in a total of nine cases before the ICTR, STL, IRMCT and ICC. He is currently associate Counsel for Mr Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman (Darfur) before the ICC, and Counsel for Mr Alphonse Nteziryayo before the IRMCT. He was also ad hoc associate Counsel for Mr Al-Hassan (Mali) towards the end of the Prosecution case, and during the victims’ case, before the ICC. Iain is the current Vice-President for Defence of the ICCBA, and a member of the Defence Committee. In 2016-2017, he was chair of the inaugural Training Committee and Professional Standards Advisory Committee. He is the alternate member of the ICC Disciplinary Board. Iain works just as comfortably in French as he does in English, an important advantage given the often multilingual nature of the work of the Court.
ANTA GUISSÉ (Full Member)
Anta Guissé has been a practising lawyer at the Paris Bar in France since 1999. Her working language is French, while she also speaks English. As a criminal defence lawyer, she has appeared regularly before national criminal courts and the Assize Court in particular. In addition, Ms Guissé has several years of experience appearing before the international jurisdictions. Between 2002 and 2010, she worked with several different defence teams before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, firstly as a legal assistant and then as counsel. In 2010, Ms Guissé had an assignment in a team of Legal Representatives of Victims before the International Criminal Court. She was also Defence Counsel at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Since 2012, Ms Guissé has been acting as an international lawyer for former Chairman KHIEU Samphân before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) and is currently Counsel for Mr. Yekatom at the ICC. Ms Guissé also regularly presents at training workshops for colleagues on the subject of international criminal justice.
MEGAN HIRST (Full Member)
Megan Hirst is an Australian lawyer, practicing from the London bar. She has been working at and before the ICC since 2009, with a particular focus on victim participation. At the ICC she has undertaken victim representation in the Ongwen Case, the Bangladesh/Myanmar Situation and the Afghanistan Situation. From 2019 until 2022 she was International Lead Co-Lawyer for victims participating as civil parties in Case 002/02 at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia. Megan was previously a legal officer in the Registries of the ICC and the STL, primarily working on victim participation. Megan has served for two terms on the ICCBA’s Executive Council and Victims’ Committee, and as Vice-President for victims (2019-2021). Since then, she has remained active in providing input to the ICCBA especially on questions of legal aid and services for victims’ counsel.
CÉCILE LECOLLE (Associate Member)
Cécile is currently Legal Assisant in the Defence team of Mr Al Hassan before the International Criminal Court. She previously worked as a case manager and legal assistant in the Defence Team of Mr. Jean-Pierre Bemba at the ICC from 2013 to 2018, and in the Defence Team of Mr. Ndagijimana in the Nzabonimpa et al. case at the UN-IRMCT from 2019 to 2021. She was also an associate legal officer at the OPCD in 2021 and a consultant for IDLO from 2017 to 2021. She obtained a Masters from the Université La Sorbonne (France) as well as a LL.M from Leiden University. She was previously a member of the Amicus Committee (2019-2021) and of the Counsel Support Staff Committee (2021-2022) of the ICCBA.
AUDREY MATEO (Associate Member)
Audrey MATEO is currently a Legal adviser in the Defence team at the ICC.
In 1997, she completed her law studies in Aix en Provence and Montpellier, France. She then studied in Cape Town, South Africa where she obtained an LL.M. in human rights and international law at the University of the Western Cape. Early in her career, as a legal analyst and agent at the European Commission in Brussels, she worked in the task-Force on the Future on the European Union. She then worked as a Legal officer for 10 years in Chambers at the ICTY and in Chambers at the ICC in the Katanga trial. She lived two years Cambodia where she worked as both a legal and pro bono consultant for human rights NGOs and supporting victims lawyers before the ECCC. She was also a consultant at the at the KSC-SPO. Since 2021, Audrey works as an UNHCR judge at the Cour Nationale du droit d’ Asile in Paris, and she also gives trainings as a consultant on the prevention of sexual harassment at work. As for her current position she is a Legal Advisor with the Abd-Al-Rahman Defence team at the ICC. Finally, she has a passion for drama; she is an actress and produces shows for an amateur theatre company in The Hague.
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ANAND A. SHAH (Full Member)
Anand A. Shah is an American attorney, and presently Associate Counsel on the team of the Common Legal Representative of Victims in the Abd-Al-Rahman (“Ali Kushayb”) trial before the ICC. Prior to this he assisted in the representation of numerous defendants in the Darfur, Kenya and Libya Situations before the ICC, as well as in cases before the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Over previous ICCBA terms he has served on the Executive Council and as Secretary of the ICCBA, as well as on the Professional Standards Advisory, Amicus, Legal Advisory and Counsel Support Staff committees. He has also taken a leading role on ICCBA working groups addressing matters of legal aid, taxation, and work place harassment.
GREGORY TOWNSEND (Full Member)
Gregory Townsend started as a deputy public defender in Los Angeles. In 1998, he joined the ICTR, where he clerked for a judge and worked as a prosecuting trial attorney. He later became a prosecutor for the UN peacekeeping mission in Kosovo and ICTY. He served as Head of Office for the SCSL in The Hague. He joined the STL in 2010 as chief legal advisor to the Prosecutor. From 2014 to 2018, he served as Chief of the Registry’s Court Support Services Section for ICTY & IRMCT, where he oversaw witness protection, court operations, judicial records and legal aid. He is a professor of international law and on the list of counsel to represent victims before the KSC and ICC. He was previously duty counsel to Mr. Mokom before the ICC.
RANGAJEEVA WIMALASENA (Full Member)
Rangajeeva Wimalasena has served as the Chair of the Professional Standards Advisory Committee of ICCBA, and he is also the ICCBA focal point for Asia Pacific States. He has been a judicial officer for the last twenty years in three Commonwealth jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific region. He started his career in 1999 as a Prosecutor in Sri Lanka and later joined the bench in 2003 as a Magistrate. Having served as a Magistrate as well as a District Court Judge in Sri Lanka, he joined the Fiji Judiciary in 2009. He was appointed a judge of the High Court of Fiji in 2018 and was the first judge of the Anti-corruption Division of the High Court of Fiji. In 2022 he joined the Nauru Court of Appeal as a Justice of Appeal. Apart from his judicial career, he serves as a director and board member in a number of not-for-profit organizations in Australia on a pro bono basis. He is an accredited mediator by the Singapore and Fiji Mediation Centres. His educational background includes a Master of Laws in International Human Rights, Children's and Women's Rights, and a Bachelor of Laws. He also has a Graduate Certificate in Policy and Governance from Queensland University of Technology.
Defence Committee
IAIN EDWARDS
Iain Edwards is a barrister at the Bar of England and Wales (practising since September 2001). Since 2009, the focus of his practice has been defending in international criminal cases. He has represented, or assisted in the representation of, clients in a total of nine cases before the ICTR, STL, IRMCT and ICC. He is currently associate Counsel for Mr Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman (Darfur) before the ICC, and Counsel for Mr Alphonse Nteziryayo before the IRMCT. He was also ad hoc associate Counsel for Mr Al-Hassan (Mali) towards the end of the Prosecution case, and during the victims’ case, before the ICC. Iain is the current Vice-President for Defence of the ICCBA, and a member of the Defence Committee. In 2016-2017, he was chair of the inaugural Training Committee and Professional Standards Advisory Committee. He is the alternate member of the ICC Disciplinary Board. Iain works just as comfortably in French as he does in English, an important advantage given the often multilingual nature of the work of the Court.
JEAN FLAMME
Jean Flamme has been an attorney at the Bar of Gent ( Belgium ) since 1974. He has mainly been active in criminal law, international criminal law, torts, professional liability and commercial law. He was also active as a deputyjudge in the Tribunal of Commerce in Gent for 20 years. Jean Flamme has been the secretary-general and later the vice-president of AsF Belgium ( lawyers without borders ) for the beginning years of this NGO which he helped greatly to develop. He became, later on, the secretary-general of International Criminal Bar ( ICB ) and advocated for the creation of an official and independent Bar at the ICC. He was the first defence counsel to handle a case before the ICC ( Lubanga v/ Prosecutor ) but decided to leave the case because he did not get the sufficient means to work properly. He afterwards acted as defence counsel in the Bemba II case where he still experienced the same kind of problems to an even worse extent. He has been acting as defence counsel for several Rwandese persons accused of genocide in Belgium, France, The Netherlands and Norway and before the ICTR. He is the co-author of the text-book “Code of International Criminal Law and Procedure, annotated 2013 ( Larcier Law annotated ) and wrote a book about the genocide in Rwanda and international criminal justice under the title “Rwanda 1994, the conspiracy of the powerful ( Van Haelewyck ed. ). He also is a co-author of “defence rights, international and European developments” ( maklu ed. 2012 ) and wrote the part “The fundamental right to a full and fair defence before the ICC, on the confines of common law and roman-german law : an analysis” .
BRIAN KENNEDY
Brian Kennedy is recently admitted to the List of Counsel for the ICC, and is a new member of the ICCBA. Earlier in his legal career, he served as a senior prosecutor in New York City, dealing with major narcotics-related cases and serious violent crimes. Since then, for the last twenty years as defense counsel, he has handled numerous white-collar and complex criminal matters as lead trial counsel. Mr. Kennedy also frequently represents claimants in investment-related litigation, and is an arbitrator with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. He graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in international affairs, and from Fordham University Law School with a concentration in securities law. During law school, he also studied international law in London. Mr. Kennedy holds both U.S. and Irish citizenship, and lives in New York, New York.
PHILIPPE LAROCHELLE
Mr Larochelle is one of the founding partners of Larochelle Avocats, a firm specializing in litigation based in Montreal, Canada. (www.larochelleavocats.com). Since 1998, Mr Larochelle has developed a private practice focusing on civil and criminal law before the Superior Courts, Courts of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. Since 2001, he has also practiced in international criminal law, representing clients before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (Tanzania), the International Criminal Court (The Netherlands) and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (The Netherlands). Mr Larochelle has extensive experience in civil, criminal and aboriginal law, both before Canadian and international courts, including the following cases:
-Acquittal before the Supreme Court of Canada in 2006 (Déry v. The Queen).
-Representing the interests of the Algonquin Makwanini First Nation since 2008.
-Acquittal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Rwanda at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in 2011 (The Prosecutor v. Bicamumpaka).
-Condemnation of Canada by the Committee against Torture in 2012 (Régent Boily v. Canada).
-Confirmation of the decision not to confirm the charges before the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court in 2012 (The Prosecutor v. Mbarushimana).
-Acquittal in R. v. Mungwarere, genocide trial before Canadian courts in 2013.
-Conviction of the Minister of Youth Affairs and Cooperatives by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in 2014 (Prosecutor v. Nzabonimana).
-Member of Narcisse Arido Defence team before the International Criminal Court in 2015.
-Defence Counsel for the interests of Hussein Hassan Oneissi before the Special Tribunal for Lebanon 2014-2016.
-Revision case for Éliezer Niyitegeka before the IRMCT in 2015-2017.
-Condemnation of Canada by the Committee against torture in 2018 (Mugesera c. Canada).
-Defence of Jean-de-Dieu Ndagijimana, facing contempt charges before the IRMCT since 2019
-Condemnation of Rwanda before the African Court on Human and Peoples Right in November 2020 (Mugesera c. Rwanda). Mr Larochelle participated as a panelist in conferences on international criminal law in Canada, The Netherlands and France. He has also published articles on the subject in both French and English.
KIMBERLEY CY. MOTLEY
Kimberley Motley has been a litigator for 20 years, with a focus on international criminal law, human rights, and victim rights. She is admitted lawyer in the ICC as Counsel, U.S. Supreme Court, Federal District Courts in Wisconsin, Colorado, and Oklahoma, the U.S. Appellate Courts in the 2nd, 4th, 7th, 9th, and 10th districts. In 2008 she an international law practice in Afghanistan and became the first and only foreigner litigating in the criminal, civil, and commercial courts. Her success has included securing a Presidential Pardon for an Afghan woman charged with adultery which subsequently decriminalized running away as a crime in Afghanistan, successfully working on international child abduction cases which resulted in the return of British and Australian children between the ages of 2 to 10, and representing the Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim. Her work has been internationally reported and she has trained and/or mentored thousands of lawyers around the world on how to practice law in their respective jurisdictions. Additionally, her work was profiled in an award-winning documentary entitled MOTLEY’s LAW. She has written a book entitled LAWLESS, and her TED TALK on: How Defend the Rule of Law has garnered over a 1.2 million views.
THOMAS OBHOF
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SARAH VALDURIEZ
Born in France, Sarah VALDURIEZ grew up in the United States. She is bilingual. Attorney since 2009, located in Paris and then in Versailles (France), she defends her clients before national and international courts. Her experience in criminal law has led her to represent both victims and defendants, particularly in cases of terrorism and organized crime. She was a member of the Executive Council and the Defense Committee in 2022-2023 and she is currently on the defense team in the SAID case before the ICC.
Victims Committee
LADY GIFTY DEDE TETTEH
Lady Gifty Tetteh is a barrister and the Head of Chambers at Chambers of GD Tetteh-UK, she is a member of the Honorable Society of the Middle Temple and the first black woman to set up her Chambers in the Middle Temple. She is also a Solicitor and Barrister of the Supreme Court of Ghana, and the CEO of Rehoboth Chambers’ (Tetteh and Tetteh Advocates)-Ghana. She holds a law degree LLB (Hons) from the London Guildhall University, a postgraduate certificate from the University of West of England –UWE and a Master of Laws Degree in Oil and Gas (LLM) from the Robert Gordon University – Aberdeen. She is (among other areas of law) a criminal barrister. She has handled cases of rape, murder and attempted murder. Lady Tetteh is a listed Counsel/Advocate at the International Criminal Court – The Hague. She regularly participates and speaks at workshops across the UK on trafficking & safeguarding children. She is a registered pupillage supervisor in England and Wales. She is a girl child mentor with the Menfyd foundation. She is a trustee and a Board member both in the UK and Africa. She is the founder and President of the Africa Women in Energy-AWIE and the Africa Women in Farming. She serves as a Patron of the Kaybobo Girls School (Ghana Education Project).
JENS DIECKMANN
Jens Dieckmann is a German Lawyer. He is Founding and Senior Partner of Becher&Dieckmann in Bonn (Germany) as well as Associate Member of Chamber 9BR International (London, UK). Jens Dieckmann can offer clients more than 27 years of high level international litigation and negotiation practice in high profile cases. He has worked in and lead international teams of lawyers at various international criminal tribunals. In addition, he has a varied national and international practice as Counsel in International Human Rights Law as well as Asylum and Immigration Law. He provides consultancy to Governments and NGOs in the field of International Criminal Law and Asylum Law. He is appointed to the Expert Commission on Asylum by the Federal Board of Amnesty International, Germany. Since 2006, he is an elected member of the Board of ADC-ICT. In 2015/16, he was a member of the Drafters Committee and the Interim Board of the ICCBA. He served the ICCBA inter alia as Vice President for Victims (2017/2018 and 2018/2019) and was Chair of the Victims Committee in 2017/2018 and 2018/2019. He was member of the Executive Council 2016-2019. Since 2011 he is CLR, Associate Counsel, for Victims in the ICC Banda Case.
HAYDEE DIJKSTAL
Haydee Dijkstal is a UK barrister and US attorney with over a decade of experience practicing international criminal and human rights law before international tribunals including the ICC. She currently serves on the ICCBA’s Executive Council and was elected as Vice President for Victims, and previously served as Chair of the ICCBA’s Victims Committee. Her practice has included work before the ICC, ICTY, SCSL, African Commission and Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and various UN bodies. Haydee is currently representing victims at the ICC in the Situation in Afghanistan and Situation in Ukraine. Haydee has been a member of legal teams before the International Criminal Court since 2011 representing parties including the defence, victims and Governments. In addition to her current instructions regarding Afghan and Ukrainian victims, her previous experiences and instructions before the ICC include the 1) legal team for the Comoros Government and victims in the Registered Vessels situation; 2) Defence team for Abdullah Al-Senussi, 3) legal team for Sudanese victims, and 4) legal team for the Kenyan Government. In addition, she has been instructed in regards to amicus curiae submissions in the Palestine situation and Ntaganda case, and on a number of Article 15 Communications on behalf of victims to the ICC Office of the Prosecutor.
ELISABETTA GALEAZZI
Elisabetta is an Italian Criminal Lawyer with over twenty years of experience as Defence Counsel and Counsel for Victims before National Tribunals and Higher Courts. She was admitted to the List of Counsel of the International Criminal Court in 2012. For decades she has been practicing as Lead Counsel in serious crime cases (Criminal Law and Procedure, Civil Law and Procedure, Italian Juvenile System of Courts, Immigration Law, Domestic and International Law, UE Criminal Law, Computer and Cyber Crimes, Sexual Crimes). She is also HR defender. Elisabetta has been involved in national and international associations of Counsel, and actively has promoted the establishing of the ICCBA. In 2016 She was appointed as member of EU and International Criminal Law drafting Commission at the Italian Ministry of Justice. Currently, she is member of the International Committee of the Bar of Bologna with task for liaising with the ICC. As an expert in International Criminal Law and Justice , she is trainer in many compulsory training programs for Lawyers and her articles are published on these topics. Past chair of the ICCBA Membership Committee, Elisabetta has also served as member of the Executive Council and elected member of the ICCBA Defence Committee.
ÉLISE LE GALL
Me Élise LE GALL est avocate au Barreau de Paris, docteur en droit de l’université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne et inscrite sur la liste des conseils habilités à intervenir devant la CPI. Elle intervient actuellement en France dans plusieurs dossiers de compétence universelle auprès du Pôle spécialisé Anti-terrorisme, Génocide, crimes de guerre, crimes contre l’humanité du Tribunal judiciaire de Paris. Elle représente notamment des anciens salariés parties civiles dans l’affaire Lafarge (complicité de crimes contre l’humanité pour ses activités en Syrie) ainsi que des parties civiles dans des dossiers rwandais, RDC, Centrafrique. Elle a également opéré un signalement devant le bureau du procureur de la CPI pour les exactions commises entre avril 2019 et mars 2020 en Guinée. Par ailleurs, elle publie régulièrement des ouvrages, articles scientifiques sur la justice pénale internationale et intervient auprès d’universités (Assas, Limoges) et est présidente de l’AFPCU. En 2010, elle a œuvré au sein d’une équipe de défense devant le TPIR, puis occupé le poste de coordinatrice de la Coalition Française pour la Cour pénale internationale (CFCPI). De 2016 à 2018, elle a également été la collaboratrice juridique spécialement rattachée auprès du Procureur général des Chambres africaines extraordinaires (CAE) du Sénégal dans le procès Hissein Habré.
ELISAPETI MAKONI LANGI
Elisapeti Langi is from Tonga and she was recently admitted to the list of counsel of the International Criminal Court in August 2023. She is the first Tongan to be admitted to the ICC. She commenced her career as a crown prosecutor at the Attorney General’s Office in 2008 office before joining the judiciary in 2018. She holds a master in criminology from the University of Sydney and has extensive experience in criminal law and family law. Her experience as a family judge when she was with the magistrate court has given her far-reaching understanding in dealing with victims of violence. Her greatest achievement to date was her appointment in 2020 by his majesty, King Tupou VI, as the first female acting judge of the Tongan Supreme Court. She is currently an acting judge of the Supreme Court of Tonga.
ANA TUIKETEI
Ana Tuiketei is a listed Counsel for the ICC and is a member of the Defense and Membership Committee- a first for the Oceania. She is also the only female Pacific Islander listed as an Arbitrator with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. She is admitted to the Tongan and Fijian Bar. She is the Deputy Director of the Institute of Small and Micro States based in the UK. She is a fellow with the Forum for International Conciliation & Arbitration. She is the only Fijian female accredited World Rugby Judicial Officer and is one of only two pacific women that are Oceania Judicial Officer. She is the only Oceania International Rugby League Independent Judicial Chair. She is also listed as an Arbitrator with International Mixed Martial Arts Federation. She is also an Arbitrator in the Fiji Employment Arbitration Court (High Court). In 2017 she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Fiji by the President of Fiji for her national contribution. She is a Heart Ambassador for the internationally recognized Sai Prema Foundation Fiji that is creating a world-class facility with the aim of providing the best possible surgery and free treatment to the children of the Pacific.
Counsel Support Staff Committee Committee
MÉLISSA BEAULIEU-LUSSIER (Associate Member)
Mélissa Beaulieu Lussier is a Legal Assistant in the Defence team of Mr Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz (Mali) at the ICC since September 2021. She was previously Legal Assistant and Legal consultant in the Defence team of Mr Bosco Ntaganda (DRC) at the ICC between 2014-2015 and 2019-2021. She has experience in every phase of a case at the ICC, from pre-trial to reparations. She has also practiced as a criminal defence attorney for 4 years in Montreal (Canada), particularly in cases of sexual violence. Mélissa was admitted to the Québec Bar in 2014 and obtained a LL.M. from McGill University.
ELSA BOHNE (Associate Member)
Elsa BOHNE has been working for the Defence team of Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona before the International Criminal Court for a year and a half as a legal consultant. In November 2023, she will qualify for admission to the Paris Bar (France). She holds a Diploma in Legal Studies from the University of Oxford (Corpus Christi College, United-Kingdom) and a Masters Degree in International Human Rights Law from University Paris II Panthéon-Assas. She also joined a Paris-based criminal law firm as a trainee lawyer and worked for the legal department of the French anti-racism NGO Licra. She speaks French, English and Spanish.
DESPOINA ELEFTHERIOU (Associate Member)
Despoina Eleftheriou is a Greek lawyer, admitted to the Thessaloniki Bar. She studied law at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Faculty of Law, followed by an LLM in International Studies from which she graduated with Honours. In November 2019 she graduated cum laude from the University of Amsterdam with an LLM in International Criminal Law (Joint program with Columbia University in the City of New York). In February 2020, she joined the Defence team for Mr Charles Blé Goudé before the International Criminal Court as a Case Manager. In September 2020, she joined the Defence team for Mr Patrice-Édouard Ngaïssona, and in April 2022 she became a Case Manager. Prior to her joining the Defence at the International Criminal Court, she worked as a trainee lawyer at L. Trampa and Associates, based in Thessaloniki (Greece), dealing mostly with civil, criminal and administrative law cases. She has also worked as a legal trainee at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the Department for International Relations in Thessaloniki.
LAURENCE HORTAS-LABERGE (Associate Member)
Laurence Hortas-Laberge is dual qualified as lawyer in the Province of Quebec and as attorney in the State of New York. She was case manager in the Defence Team of Mr. Ntaganda during the Reparation Phase and is now case manager in the Yekatom Defence where she completed her internship in 2019. Ms Hortas-Laberge has more than two years experience at the International Criminal Court and has a deep interest in issues affecting the workplace. After graduation from the Université de Montréal (Canada) she completed an LL.M in Transnational Law at King's College London (United-Kingdom). During her time in law school, she undertook various research assistant mandates in constitutional law, business and human rights and green finance.
AUDREY MATEO (Associate Member)
Audrey MATEO is currently a Legal adviser in the Defence team at the ICC.
In 1997, she completed her law studies in Aix en Provence and Montpellier, France. She then studied in Cape Town, South Africa where she obtained an LL.M. in human rights and international law at the University of the Western Cape. Early in her career, as a legal analyst and agent at the European Commission in Brussels, she worked in the task-Force on the Future on the European Union. She then worked as a Legal officer for 10 years in Chambers at the ICTY and in Chambers at the ICC in the Katanga trial. She lived two years Cambodia where she worked as both a legal and pro bono consultant for human rights NGOs and supporting victims lawyers before the ECCC. She was also a consultant at the at the KSC-SPO. Since 2021, Audrey works as an UNHCR judge at the Cour Nationale du droit d’ Asile in Paris, and she also gives trainings as a consultant on the prevention of sexual harassment at work. As for her current position she is a Legal Advisor with the Abd-Al-Rahman Defence team at the ICC. Finally, she has a passion for drama; she is an actress and produces shows for an amateur theatre company in The Hague.
FLORENT PAGES-GRANIER (Associate Member)
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BARBARA SZMATULA (Associate Member)
Barbara Szmatula is a French jurist working at the International Criminal Court (ICC). She has been working as a Case Manager in the Defence team for Mr Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona before the ICC since January 2020. Barbara studied international law at Panthéon-Assas Paris II and University of Warsaw for a semester, as well as history of art at Université Sorbonne Paris-IV. After obtaining her Masters of International Public Law in Paris, she joined the Defence team of Mr Charles Blé-Goudé before the ICC and worked on various projects related to international law and international politics. She was also an intern for jus Mundi, a legal-tech company dedicated to international law. Barbara speaks French, English, Polish and is currently learning Dutch.
Professional Standards Advisory Committee
HAYDEE DIJKSTAL
Haydee Dijkstal is a UK barrister and US attorney with over a decade of experience practicing international criminal and human rights law before international tribunals including the ICC. She currently serves on the ICCBA’s Executive Council and was elected as Vice President for Victims, and previously served as Chair of the ICCBA’s Victims Committee. Her practice has included work before the ICC, ICTY, SCSL, African Commission and Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and various UN bodies. Haydee is currently representing victims at the ICC in the Situation in Afghanistan and Situation in Ukraine. Haydee has been a member of legal teams before the International Criminal Court since 2011 representing parties including the defence, victims and Governments. In addition to her current instructions regarding Afghan and Ukrainian victims, her previous experiences and instructions before the ICC include the 1) legal team for the Comoros Government and victims in the Registered Vessels situation; 2) Defence team for Abdullah Al-Senussi, 3) legal team for Sudanese victims, and 4) legal team for the Kenyan Government. In addition, she has been instructed in regards to amicus curiae submissions in the Palestine situation and Ntaganda case, and on a number of Article 15 Communications on behalf of victims to the ICC Office of the Prosecutor.
JUAN CARLOS MANRÍQUEZ
Chilean Lawyer, with 30 years of experience, Professor of Economic Criminal Law, Litigation, Cybercrimes, Data Protection and Privacy in Criminal Proceedings, and International Criminal Law in Universidad Catolica de Chile (LLM) and Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso (Chile). Lecturer and Speaker in different Congress and Doctoral and Magister Programs in Chile, Peru, Argentina, Ecuador, Spain, etc. Litigator, LLM (California Western School of Law, San Diego, USA, 2016); Specialist in Economic and Corporates Criminal Law (Universidad Castilla – La Mancha, Spain, 2011); Advanced Diploma in International Criminal Law and before the International Courts (The Syracuse Institute, Italy, 2018); Legal Advisor for Senate and Deputies Chamber in Chile. Former President of Valparaiso Bar Association (many periods), Chile. Full member of ICCBA, and Counsel before ICC – CPI (admitted in 2018), Member of AFBA, Member of Privacy Rules International.​
NIR PLESSER
A veteran lawyer with 20 years of experience, holding a Master's Degree in Public Law (LL.M.) from Tel-Aviv University (Magna Cum Laude). For several years he served as a teaching assistant for penal law, evidence law and criminal procedure in several law faculties in Israel; and published several academic articles in the field of criminal law which were cited by the Israeli Supreme Court. He also published a theoretical book (in Hebrew) titled: "Transitional Justice: The Implications of the Shin Bet Affair on Israeli Society". As a criminal defense attorney, he served as lead counsel in one of the largest criminal organization cases in Israel (the Asi Abutbul case) after the former lead defense attorney (Yoram Hachacham) was murdered in the middle of the trial [See: Criminal Case no. 1049/ 07 The State of Israel v. Yosef (Asi) Abutbul and 23 others, (published in the "Nevo" database)]. In the field of professional responsibility, he currently serves as a judge at the District Disciplinary Tribunal of the Tel-Aviv Bar Association. Before that, he served as a disciplinary prosecutor for several years and after that as a disciplinary defense attorney. He also served as arbitrator on behalf of the Ethics Committee in fee disputes; as well as representing private clients in civil litigation regarding legal malpractice and fee disputes.
VICTOR TSILONIS
Dr Victor Tsilonis is a principal legal counsel in Greece. In 2020 he was Greece’s nominee for the position of judge at the International Criminal Court (evaluated as “highly qualified” by the independent advisory committee). He is the author of the book The Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (Springer, 2019) ISBN 978-3-030-21525-5 (Springer, 2019), which constitutes the product of over 10 years of research on the International Criminal Court (forthcoming 2nd edition, 2023). Moreover, Victor is the founder and chief executive officer of the niche Greek law firm Newlaw, and has over a 18-year track record of excellence in handling criminal cases. He is actively involved in the ICC’s fora and thus familiar with the criminal proceedings of the Court. As a member of the ICC Disciplinary Board (2018-2022), he has tried a significant number of disciplinary cases; in fact he has participated in more than 30% of all published decisions of the ICC disciplinary organs by October 2022. In 2019, he was elected Joint Vice President for Victims and Chairman of the Professional Standards Advisory Committee of the International Criminal Court Bar Association (ICCBA), while in 2021 he was re-elected as ICCBA Vice-President for victims. Finally he is a columnist, activist and co-founder/chairman of the Intellectum NGO in Greece (2006-2022), which is currently the only Greek NGO member of the Coalition of the International Criminal Court (CICC) and staunch supporter of the Project Sunflowers (collecting information concerning crimes committed during the war in Ukraine).
RANGAJEEVA WIMALASENA
Rangajeeva Wimalasena has served as the Chair of the Professional Standards Advisory Committee of ICCBA, and he is also the ICCBA focal point for Asia Pacific States. He has been a judicial officer for the last twenty years in three Commonwealth jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific region. He started his career in 1999 as a Prosecutor in Sri Lanka and later joined the bench in 2003 as a Magistrate. Having served as a Magistrate as well as a District Court Judge in Sri Lanka, he joined the Fiji Judiciary in 2009. He was appointed a judge of the High Court of Fiji in 2018 and was the first judge of the Anti-corruption Division of the High Court of Fiji. In 2022 he joined the Nauru Court of Appeal as a Justice of Appeal. Apart from his judicial career, he serves as a director and board member in a number of not-for-profit organizations in Australia on a pro bono basis. He is an accredited mediator by the Singapore and Fiji Mediation Centres. His educational background includes a Master of Laws in International Human Rights, Children's and Women's Rights, and a Bachelor of Laws. He also has a Graduate Certificate in Policy and Governance from Queensland University of Technology.
Legal Advisory Committee
LADY GIFTY DEDE TETTEH (Full Member)
Lady Gifty Tetteh is a barrister and the Head of Chambers at Chambers of GD Tetteh-UK, she is a member of the Honorable Society of the Middle Temple and the first black woman to set up her Chambers in the Middle Temple. She is also a Solicitor and Barrister of the Supreme Court of Ghana, and the CEO of Rehoboth Chambers’ (Tetteh and Tetteh Advocates)-Ghana. She holds a law degree LLB (Hons) from the London Guildhall University, a postgraduate certificate from the University of West of England –UWE and a Master of Laws Degree in Oil and Gas (LLM) from the Robert Gordon University – Aberdeen. She is (among other areas of law) a criminal barrister. She has handled cases of rape, murder and attempted murder. Lady Tetteh is a listed Counsel/Advocate at the International Criminal Court – The Hague. She regularly participates and speaks at workshops across the UK on trafficking & safeguarding children. She is a registered pupillage supervisor in England and Wales. She is a girl child mentor with the Menfyd foundation. She is a trustee and a Board member both in the UK and Africa. She is the founder and President of the Africa Women in Energy-AWIE and the Africa Women in Farming. She serves as a Patron of the Kaybobo Girls School (Ghana Education Project).
KENNETH GALLANT (Full Member)
Kenneth S. Gallant is a founding member of the ICCBA/ABCPI, and was Moderator of the inaugural meeting when the ICCBA/ABCPI Constitution was adopted and the first elections were held. He has since served on the Legal Advisory Committee (2018-21) and Amicus Committee (2017-20). Prof. Gallant was the first Representative of Counsel elected to the International Criminal Court Advisory Committee on Legal Texts (2006-12, two terms), elected by members of the ICC List of Counsel. He was later elected by the List of Counsel as a Member of the ICC Disciplinary Appeals Board (2014-18). He is the author of two books relevant to the work of counsel at the ICC: Gallant, The Principle of Legality in International and Comparative Criminal Law (Cambridge, 2009), cited by the ICC Appeals Chamber in the abd-al-Rahman appeal in 2021; Gallant, International Criminal Jurisdiction: Whose Law Must We Obey? (Oxford, 2022).
HANEEN GHALI (Associate Member)
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JAMES ONALAJA (Full Member)
James Onalaja is a criminal barrister with over 18 years’ experience, called to the Bar of England and Wales. He practises from 187 Chambers, London. He has a Bachelor of Law from Durham University, UK. He has undertaken postgraduate studies in ICL at Columbia Law School, New York and obtained a Master of Laws in ICL (Cum Laude) from Amsterdam University. His practise focuses on: serious, complex and violent crimes, including matters with transnational and international law complexities; military court martials and; cases involving alleged human rights violations. He is admitted to the ICC’s and the Kosovo Specialist Chambers’ lists of counsel. He has assisted the defence team in Case 004 before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC). He has also worked with members of the United Nations Human Rights Committee in preparing them for their 122nd Session and periodic oral dialogues with States re compliance with the ICCPR. He takes up the post of Visiting Professional at the Office of Public Counsel for the Defence in November 2023. James is an advocacy tutor to trainee lawyers in England and is experienced at providing Continuing Professional Development training to legal professionals. He has served on the Amicus Committee for the past three terms and is the outgoing Committee Chair. James led the Amicus Committee’s intervention on the Independent Expert Review and the SGG proposal to amend the ICC Statute and/or Rules to allow for a replacement judge in a trial should a judge become unable to continue. James also led the Amicus Committee’s intervention on the recent proposed amendments to the ICCBA Constitution. James previously served on the Training Committee in 2020/21. He looks forward to continuing to serve the ICCBA wherever required.
SÉRAPHINE NGA ESSOMBA (Associate Member)
Seraphine Nga Essomba defended her PhD thesis in international criminal law in 2011 and has been a Lawyer practicing in Beziers (France) since 2015. She is fascinated by the evolution and the operation of the ICC. Her thesis, published by L'HAMATTAN editions, is entitled "protection of the rights of the accused in the international criminal court" et her master thesis is "the registry of the international criminal court". She was the laureate of the "prix de la thèse" given by the French Minister ROBERT BADINTER, and is the author of several articles on the international criminal law, transitional justice, and international crimes. She has an in-depth knowledge of the rules governing international law, transitional justice, and international human rights law. Seraphine Nga Essomba has received a degree of "International crimes analyst" from the institute for international crime investigations (LA HAYE, 2011), and was an intern at UN( 2008) at the registry of the ICC (2009). She was a lecturer in criminal law and criminal procedure in three universities: Douala (Cameroun), Brest (France) and Toulouse (France). She was a member of the ABCPI training and amicus curiae committees from 2016 to 2018. She is an assistant of the Council before the ICC since 2012
Training Committee
JASON ANTLEY (Associate Member)
Jason Antley currently leads a project improving fair trials and defence lawyer capacity in Iraq and Kurdistan. He has worked on similar projects in Somaliland, Kosovo, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom. Jason has worked in international tribunals since 2009, at the ICTY, the STL, and now as a consultant to the Yekatom Defence at the ICC. He is admitted to practice law in the US state of Georgia, and is a case management expert on the Justice Rapid Response roster.
GIOVANNI CHIARINI (Associate Member)
Giovanni Chiarini (LLM, PhD) is a Lecturer (tenure-track – Asst. Prof.) and module leader in International Criminal Law at Huddersfield University, and International Fellow of the National Institute of Military Justice at Washington DC. Giovanni is also an attorney, admitted to the ICC list of assistants-to-counsel (eligible to be appointed associate counsel) and he carried out legal consultancy for UNAKRT. He was a Scholar-in-Residence at Texas Tech University and Visiting Professor at the Mississippi College School of Law, as well as Assistant Lecturer of Criminal Procedure at Insubria University. He was a visiting researcher at the following universities: Institute of International Peace and Security Law, Universität zu Köln; Centre for Criminal Justice and Human Rights, University College Cork; Laboratoire de droit international et européen, Université Côte d'Azur; Centre for International and Global Law, University of Edinburgh; Centre for Critical Legal Studies, Warwick University. Giovanni’s ICL publications (https://hud.academia.edu/GiovanniChiarini) have been awarded Gold Medal for the best article by the Cork Law Review Arthur Cox Prize; best PhD publication by the American Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences; best article by the Center for Studies in European and International Affairs. He is publishing a monograph with Routledge entitled “The Evolution of International Criminal Procedure”.
DRAGAN IVETIC (Full Member)
Mr. Dragan Ivetić received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Northwestern University in 1996 and went on to the University of Illinois College of Law where he received a J.D. in 1999. He is licensed to practice law before the Courts of Illinois, up to the Supreme Court; the US Federal Court of the Illinois Northern District; the International Criminal Court; the ICTY (which has now become the Residual Mechanism); the International Criminal Court; and previously practiced before the State Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Domestically Mr. Ivetić practiced in Chicago as an Associate at McBreen & Kopko, then as a Member and Partner of Ostojic and Scudder LLC. Mr. Ivetić is now the Managing Member of the Illinois Law Firm of “Dragan Ivetić, Attorney at Law LLC”, and additionally as an individual practitioner is part of Kansas-based Warrior Lawyers International. Mr. Ivetić is currently a Vice-President of the ADC-ICT Bar Association as well as a member of its Training Committee. The ADC-ICT is the recognized Bar Association of the United Nations IRMCT (“Residual Mechanism” – Previously UN ICTY) in The Hague and gives advocacy and regional training.​​
KIMBERLEY CY. MOTLEY (Full Member)
Kimberley Motley has been a litigator for 20 years, with a focus on international criminal law, human rights, and victim rights. She is admitted lawyer in the ICC as Counsel, U.S. Supreme Court, Federal District Courts in Wisconsin, Colorado, and Oklahoma, the U.S. Appellate Courts in the 2nd, 4th, 7th, 9th, and 10th districts. In 2008 she an international law practice in Afghanistan and became the first and only foreigner litigating in the criminal, civil, and commercial courts. Her success has included securing a Presidential Pardon for an Afghan woman charged with adultery which subsequently decriminalized running away as a crime in Afghanistan, successfully working on international child abduction cases which resulted in the return of British and Australian children between the ages of 2 to 10, and representing the Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim. Her work has been internationally reported and she has trained and/or mentored thousands of lawyers around the world on how to practice law in their respective jurisdictions. Additionally, her work was profiled in an award-winning documentary entitled MOTLEY’s LAW. She has written a book entitled LAWLESS, and her TED TALK on: How Defend the Rule of Law has garnered over a 1.2 million views.
THOMAS OBHOF (Full Member)
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Amicus Committee
GIOVANNI CHIARINI (Associate Member)
Giovanni Chiarini (LLM, PhD) is a Lecturer (tenure-track – Asst. Prof.) and module leader in International Criminal Law at Huddersfield University, and International Fellow of the National Institute of Military Justice at Washington DC. Giovanni is also an attorney, admitted to the ICC list of assistants-to-counsel (eligible to be appointed associate counsel) and he carried out legal consultancy for UNAKRT. He was a Scholar-in-Residence at Texas Tech University and Visiting Professor at the Mississippi College School of Law, as well as Assistant Lecturer of Criminal Procedure at Insubria University. He was a visiting researcher at the following universities: Institute of International Peace and Security Law, Universität zu Köln; Centre for Criminal Justice and Human Rights, University College Cork; Laboratoire de droit international et européen, Université Côte d'Azur; Centre for International and Global Law, University of Edinburgh; Centre for Critical Legal Studies, Warwick University. Giovanni’s ICL publications (https://hud.academia.edu/GiovanniChiarini) have been awarded Gold Medal for the best article by the Cork Law Review Arthur Cox Prize; best PhD publication by the American Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences; best article by the Center for Studies in European and International Affairs. He is publishing a monograph with Routledge entitled “The Evolution of International Criminal Procedure”.
MARK DIAMOND (Full Member)
Mark Diamond is a criminal defense litigator in private practice. He has extensive trial and appellate experience in state and federal courts throughout the United States. He has served as neutral arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and International Centre for Dispute Resolution since 1992. Mark is past chairman of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Criminal Justice Committee and the ABA’s General Practice Section Criminal Justice Committee. His interest in the ICC began with his work as advisor to Amnesty International in the years leading to the Court's formation and has been a full member of the ICC since 2006. He served for many years as advisor to the American Bar Association Central and East European Initiative. Mark is a member of the New York State Bar Association Committee on Courts of Appellate Jurisdiction and the editor of its magazine, “Leaveworthy.” He is grateful for the opportunity to serve the members of the ICCBA.
ABDUL AZIZ MESLAT (Full Member)
I am Dr. Abdul Aziz Meslat, an esteemed criminal lawyer with over two decades of experience. Renowned for my expertise in criminal law at both national and international levels, I have achieved remarkable success in handling high-profile cases, establishing myself as a distinguished legal expert. With a Ph.D. in International Criminal Law and an LLM in Criminal Procedure and International Litigation Methods, my comprehensive educational background equips me to tackle diverse legal matters. I am deeply committed to safeguarding the rights of my clients and have earned a reputation for delivering favorable outcomes. As the President of the Washington Center for Criminal Justice (formerly the International Organization for Transitional Justice), I lead efforts in promoting justice and ensuring legal accountability. Additionally, I serve as a private legal advisor to multiple US jurisdictions, offering my guidance and expertise. Since 2022, I have held the esteemed position of Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the George Washington Legal Training Institute. In this role, I oversee legal training programs and provide mentorship to aspiring legal professionals, aiming to shape the future of criminal law. Furthermore, I am the Chairman and CEO of American Premier Advocates & Legal Consultants Group LLP, a distinguished law firm recognized for delivering exceptional legal services across a broad spectrum of cases. Beyond my legal practice and leadership roles, I am a fervent advocate for human rights. I actively contribute to the field through my extensive research and writing. With seven published books and 167 academic research papers, I have emerged as a thought leader in International criminal law, international relations, and global interactions. My work has significantly influenced the discourse in these areas.
LYMA NGUYEN (Full Member)
Lyma Nguyen is an Australian trial and appellate barrister with an international practice in criminal law, victims and human rights and statelessness. In 2018, she was accredited as counsel before the International Criminal Court. In 2022, she became a member of the ICCBA Legal Advisory Committee. In 2014, Lyma was the youngest of 45 “Trailblazing Women Australian Lawyers” whose oral history is archived in Australia’s National Library – an award which recognised her ongoing pro bono practice since 2009 as International Civil Party Counsel at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, where she represented the ethnic Vietnamese minority victims in the tribunal’s historic genocide case. The international impact of her work was recognised through the Prime Minister’s Executive Endeavour Award (2013) and a Churchill Fellowship (2014). In 2012, Lyma was in the Australian Civilian Corps as a Law and Justice Civilian Expert. Lyma was a Director on the Board of Australian Volunteers International from 2014 to 2023.In 2020, she won the 40 Under 40 Most Influential Asian Australians Leadership Awards. Lyma is the current President of the Asian Australian Lawyers Association, NT Branch, and an active member of the United Nations Association Australia.
AHMED ZUHAIR BAJALAN (Associate Member)
Ahmed Zuhair Bajalan (Ahmed Wali) Assistant to Counsel before the ICC & ICCBA member A lawyer since 2011 and Assistant to Counsel before the ICC since 2020. Ahmed was born Baghdad he is Arabic and Kurdish speaker he is multicultural. furthermore English. Ahmed has been dedicated to addressing crimes against humanity and war crimes..etc. with a strong focus on those perpetrated jointly by the Turkish army and ISIS against Kurds in Western Kurdistan part which located in the north and east Syria, as well as offenses within Iraqi territory. as the Kurdish people face the jointly crimes of Turkey and its backed groups. His legal efforts extend to confronting continuous airstrikes and drone attacks by Turkey, a pressing issue in his homeland against civilians in Iraq and Syria. South and west of Kurdistan. Living in a country which its people faced different kind of crimes against humanity and war crimes...etc. Also the occupation of the Musel city in the north of Iraq by ISIS which also supported by Turkey. such crimes committed against the Yazidi and the Kurds - Christians. Arabs..etc. Ahmed working to protect the country from those international perpetrators. Ahmed's commitment to justice is further evident in his volunteer work with UN agencies independently he represented victims of Enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention - torture and degrading treatment..ect. Also he represented victims of LGBTI community. He is deeply involved in representing victims of gender-based violence (GBV) representing them in the courts and his advocacy for individuals from diverse backgrounds, including children, women, displaced persons, and Syrian refugees. He is working in criminal justice in his country in cases before the investigation courts and courts handling felonies..etc. . Ahmed continues to fight for justice against international perpetrators.