From the Editor – IBA WCC newsletter, July 2026

Niriksha Sanghvi
Communications Officer, IBA War Crimes Committee

Dear members of the IBA War Crimes Committee, 

We are pleased to publish the second edition of the IBA War Crimes Committee newsletter. This edition follows the Committee’s annual conference, Masters of War, held in The Hague in April 2026, where practitioners, academics and researchers gathered to discuss some of the most pressing contemporary challenges facing international criminal justice.

In this edition, contributors examine international criminal accountability across a fast-evolving nature of modern conflict and the continuing evolution of accountability mechanisms under international law. Oriola O Oyewole analyses the systematic attacks committed against communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, arguing that the characterisation of the violence as ‘farmer-herder conflict’ obscures conduct that may amount to crimes against humanity and genocide. Patricia Pinckombe examines whether restrictions imposed on women’s access to healthcare in Afghanistan may constitute gender-based persecution under Article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Statute. Charles-Edouard Renault explores the ICC’s arrest warrants against Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, considering how attacks against civilian energy infrastructure in Ukraine may signal an expanded interpretation of crimes against humanity and command responsibility in modern warfare.

Other contributions consider the broader boundaries and future direction of international criminal law. Ben Keith and Cristian González Ruiz examine the relationship between military necessity and genocidal intent through the lens of South Africa v Israel. Steven W Kayuni analyses the regulatory challenges posed by AI-driven surveillance technologies in African conflicts and the role of the African Union Commission in addressing emerging accountability gaps. Allison Turner continues her analysis of the plight of acquitted and released persons living under United Nations protection in Niger, highlighting ongoing failures within international justice mechanisms. Finally, Manuchehr Ahmadvand explores the concepts of ecocide and ‘civilisational erasure’ in urban warfare, arguing for new approaches to restorative justice and environmental protection in armed conflict.

Together, these contributions reflect the breadth of issues currently shaping international criminal law and demonstrate the continuing importance of rigorous legal analysis in responding to evolving forms of violence, persecution and impunity. We thank all the contributors for their work and we hope this edition encourages continued discussions in this wider community.