Lecture: The Long Arc of Justice: Forging a Convention for Crimes Against Humanity

In this timely lecture, Professor Leila Sadat will explore the history, development and intricacies that have defined the place of crimes against humanity in international law. Professor Sadat, who has been instrumental in furthering efforts to codify the crime in a new global treaty, will also reflect on the status and future course of this initiative. This initiative has been described by Professor Sadat as an effort to fill a gap required to complete the Nuremberg legacy. The lecture will look to the past, to the present and to the future of this sometimes-forgotten international crime. Professor Sadat will discuss its early history in the condemnation of the transatlantic slave trade and its subsequent emergence in positive law after the Second World War. She will also explore its critical role in modern day international criminal adjudication. Finally, the lecture will examine the ongoing efforts to forge a convention for crimes against humanity within the United Nations.