NEWS
Virtual side-event in The Hague - “The last straw: how chemical weapons impact women and break communities” (26 November 2021)
The Permanent Representations of Canada and Germany to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) co-hosted a virtual event on the 26th of November 2021 on the margins of the 26th Session of the OPCW Conference of States Parties. Both countries have been fully committed to the International Partnership Against Impunity for Chemical Weapons Use (PAI), since its creation in 2018.
This online event focused on the following topic: “The last straw: how chemical weapons impact women and break communities”.
Statement of the Partnership - "Supporting the OPCW upon the delivery of the second IIT report" (May 18, 2021)
Read bellow the Partnership’s full statement (available in English, in Spanish and in French).
Statement of the International Partnership against impunity for the use of chemical weapons, published on the 18th of May, 2021 : "Supporting the OPCW upon the delivery of the second IIT report" :
• The statement in English (PDF - 213.4 ko).
• The statement in Spanish (PDF - 214.8 ko).
• The statement in French ( PDF - 217.9 ko).
Virtual side-event in The Hague - “A testimony of the use of chemical weapons in Syria” (19 April 2021)
The Permanent Representations of Denmark and France to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) co-hosted a virtual event on the 19th of April 2021 on the margins of the 25th Session of the OPCW Conference of States Parties. Both countries have been fully committed to the International Partnership Against Impunity for Chemical Weapons Use (PAI), since its creation in 2018.
This online event sought to give a voice to the victims of chemical weapons attacks in Syria, through the screening of clips from the Syrian-Danish documentary The Cave. This movie follows the daily life of Dr. Amani Ballour and her colleagues, as they have to practice medicine in an underground hospital in Eastern Ghouta, under the constant threat of chemical weapons.
- Dr Amani Ballour - "The Cave"
- Source: "The Cave", 2019
Dr. Amani and Dr. Salim gave a striking testimony and anwered questions about their own story and about the use of these abject weapons by the Syrian regime.
H.E Luis Vassy recalled that it was « essential not to lose sight about what is actually at stake when we talk about the use of chemical weapons within the OPCW. Fighting impunity is not only a question of principle, it is also a moral and political imperative, and a matter of security for the international community ».
- Ambassador of Denmark, H.E Jens-Otto Horslund and Ambassador of France, H.E Luis Vassy during their exchanges with Dr. Amani Ballour and Dr. Salim Namour
- Source: French embassy
Link to the website of the Permanent Representation of France to the OPCW.
Participation of the PAI Presidency in the 29th Genocide Network meeting (March 24, 2021)
The International Partnership Against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons (PAI) continues to promote its commitment against the use of chemical weapons and the fight against impunity in various fora.
To this purpose, the French Presidency of the International Partnership Against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons (PAI) has been invited to present the PAI and its activities at the 29th meeting of the Network for investigation and prosecution of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, on March 24, 2021.
We invite you to consult the tweets that we published on this occasion:
- 29th Genocide Network meeting
Participation of the PAI Presidency in the “Jonathan B. Tucker CBW Symposium” (December 16, 2020)
The International Partnership Against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons (PAI) continues to promote its commitment against the use of chemical weapons and the fight against impunity in various fora.
To this purpose, the French Presidency of the PAI has been invited to present the Partnership and its activities during the “Accountability for Chemical Weapons Use in Syria” panel, organized by the “Jonathan B. Tucker CBW Symposium”, on December 16, 2020.
Statement of the Partnership - "Supporting the OPCW upon the delivery of the first IIT report" (April 24, 2020)
Read bellow the Partnership’s full statement (available in English, in Spanish and in French).
Statement of the International Partnership against impunity for the use of chemical weapons, published on the 24th of April, 2020 : "Supporting the OPCW upon the delivery of the first IIT report":
- The statement in English (PDF - 74.3 ko).
- The statement in Spanish (PDF - 74.9 ko).
- The statement in French (PDF - 75.9 ko).
Combat against impunity: legal mechanisms at disposal (January 24, 2020)
After the adoption of strong political statements and publication of names of perpetrators of chemical weapons misuse, the Partnership entered into a new dimension. Its meeting of November 2019 allowed to identify legal means to concretely tackle impunity: mainly, the universal jurisdiction and administrative sanctions. Those works led to the adoption of a Guiding document (available in English, in French and in Spanish) which summarizes those legal means and helps voluntary states to implement them.
This Guiding document is available on this site in three languages:
=> Read the English version (PDF - 741.7 ko).
=> Read the Spanish version (PDF - 577.8 ko).
=> Read the French version (PDF - 684.1 ko).