Mass grave protection for truth and justice

About the project

Following conflict and gross human rights violations, victims have a right to know what happened to their loved ones and a right to justice. Across the world mass graves, often containing a multitude of human remains, are sites of human loss, suffering and unimaginable acts of cruelty.

There are compelling reasons for why mass graves need to be protected. They hold evidence that is important for the criminal investigations needed to bring perpetrators to justice. At the same time, the families of the dead have a need and right to know what happened to their loved ones. This requires identification and repatriation of the bodies.

The scale of the problem

Over 200

mass graves were found in Iraq, in territory formerly controlled by ISIL

17,000

sets of human remains from 94 graves were recovered from Srebrenica

855

mass graves have been recorded by the Mexican government and the National Human Rights Commission

Mass grave protection guidelines

The project will develop mass grave protection guidelines to improve practice in relation to safeguarding and investigating mass graves. It fills an important knowledge and practice gap by providing policy makers with reasoned legal principles to implement the effective operationalisation of mass grave protection. To help meet the needs of survivors and enhance the chance of achieving justice, in what are often highly politicised, sensitive and complex contexts, an academic-led approach, transcending institutional mandates, is vital.

An accompanying commentary will ensure the reasons, justifications and discussions underpinning the guidelines are captured, providing a rich repository of deliberations to inform future research.

ICMP actively supports the development of guidelines on mass grave protection. It is delighted to be a project partner with BU, as the project can deliver valuable support to societies that are dealing with the legacy of large numbers of missing persons

Developing the guidelines

Expert participants will take part in two round-table discussions to collectively develop the guidelines.

To capture the origins, rationale and purpose of each guideline, they will be referenced by supporting academic commentary ensuring that the cross-disciplinary approaches to issues associated with mass graves and their protection are documented.

The first roundtable is scheduled for 23 - 24 October 2019.

Research project staff

Dr Melanie Klinkner

Dr Melanie Klinkner is the AHRC Research Leadership Fellow and lead researcher for the project. She is a Principal Academic in International Law at Bournemouth University with over ten years’ experience in researching and writing on mass graves. She has conducted funded research into the right to the truth, is joint author of ‘The Right to Truth in International Law’ and was a Research Visitor at Oxford University’s Bonavero Institute of Human Rights.

Dr Ellie Smith

Dr Ellie Smith has 15 years of experience within the international human rights, international criminal law and humanitarian law fields, gained through legal practice, civil society engagement and academic research. She has particular expertise in working with trauma, including within the post-conflict and justice-seeking contexts, as well as in the field of gender violence, investigation and prosecution.