COURSES

In March 2025, PacificJust, in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect at the University of Queensland and JANA, delivered a specialised training programme on the fundamentals of investigating war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. The course brought together prosecutors and law enforcement investigators from Australia and eight Pacific Island nations for an intensive four-day curriculum focused on global best practices in the investigation of core international crimes. The programme combined theoretical foundations with practical guidance on investigative methodologies, evidence collection and legal frameworks applicable to atrocity crimes, strengthening regional capacity to pursue accountability and uphold international criminal justice standards.

• Evolving jurisprudence and investigative global best practice: The course examined the elements of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, modes of liability (including command responsibility), linkage evidence, and strategies for building prosecutable case strategies from intelligence and evidentiary material.

• Applied investigative approaches: Participants undertook scenario-based exercises simulating atrocity crime environments, including crime scene management in complex settings, chain-of-custody protocols, witness interviewing (including vulnerable witnesses), and the handling of digital and open-source evidence in accordance with international standards.

• Regional implementation and cooperation mechanisms: Sessions addressed domestic incorporation of international crimes, mutual legal assistance, regional cooperation pathways, and coordination with international accountability mechanisms to ensure Pacific jurisdictions are equipped to investigate and prosecute atrocity crimes effectively.