ANNUAL REPORT | 2009-2010 - Center for Justice and Accountability

AMICUS BRIEFS
AMICUS BRIEFS
CJA authors or signs onto “friend of the court” briefs in cases before U.S. courts
and tribunals around the world with jurisdiction over human rights abuses.
Below is an example:
Algodonero v. Mexico
On July 7, 2009, CJA signed onto an amicus brief filed before the Inter-American Court of
Human Rights on behalf of survivors of gender based violence in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
The brief, signed by over fifty women’s and human rights organizations, law school clinical
programs, and law and social science professors, urged the Inter-American Court to determine
that the longstanding failure to investigate, prosecute or prevent the disappearances, rapes
and murders of young women and girls in Ciudad Juárez over the last fifteen years violates
Mexico’s obligations under the American Convention on Human Rights and other international
treaties. The brief also urges the Court to provide the full range of remedies for the
violations including restitution, rehabilitation, public recognition of wrongdoing, legislation
and policy reform, and training.
On December 10, 2009, the court found Mexico in violation of the American Convention and
the Convention of Belém do Pará. The court held that the State has an affirmative obligation
to respond to violence against women conducted by private actors. It ordered Mexico to
comply with a number of remedial measures, from building a national memorial for the
victims to renewing investigations and making reparations of over $200,000 to the families
in the suit.
Survivors of the brutal
Khmer Rouge regime
observe the trial of Kaing
Guek Eav, a.k.a. Duch,
at the Extraordinary Chambers
in the Courts of Cambodia.
Please see page 15 for a
description of CJA’s work
in Cambodia.
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