Ipso Facto
Dutch publisher
Ipso Facto publishers congratulates Tjitske Lingsma, whose book ‘All Rise. De grote ambities van het Internationaal Strafhof en de weerbarstige werkelijkheid’ - The high ambition of the International Criminal Court and the harsh reality’ - was nominated (with 5 other books) for the Dutch “Brusseprijs”, an award for the best Dutch journalistic book in 2014. We hope to have it translated into English soon.
All Rise!
The high ambition of the International Criminal Court and
the harsh reality’
Tjitske Lingsma
Hopes were still high when the International Criminal Court in The Hague in 2002 started its noble but difficult task: to go after the powerful who are responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes - and to fight impunity. ‘All Rise’ offers a compelling first-hand account of the functioning of this prestigious court, to which 122 nations have signed up. The ICC is conducting full criminal investigations in eight African countries.
In a vivid journalistic style Tjitske Lingsma describes the dramatic events unfolding. From the public gallery she follows the cases against suspects held responsible for international crimes in Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, the Central African Republic and Libya. In thematic chapters she describes the history of the court, how criminal investigations have been conducted, the position of witnesses and victims and life in
All Rise!
The high ambition of the International Criminal Court and the complex reality.
Tjitske Lingsma
Design by Helma Timmermans
Published: 18 December 2014 (in Dutch)
ISBN 978-90-77386-12-5
224 pages
Paperback
155 x 230 mm
€ 19,95 (ex shipping costs)
'All Rise' was nominated for the Dutch ‘Brusseprijs’ an award for the best Dutch journalistic book in 2014
detention. She sees how the ICC is struggling with lying witnesses, strategic blunders by the prosecutor, obstructive governments, intimidation and bribing of witnesses, failed cases, dwindling support and ex-militiamen who applied for asylum in The Netherlands. So far the court has cost more than 1 billion euro (the combined budgets from 2002-2014). The concrete result: two convictions. New policies and strategies have been announced by the prosecutor, but it is too early to tell whether these changes will result in a better performance.
‘All Rise’ is the story of a court that offered hope and promised justice to victims, but so far could not live up to its expectations.
Tjitske Lingsma is an award winning author and journalist. She contributed to (inter-)national media: De Groene Amsterdammer, Trouw, Amnesty International magazine Wordt Vervolgd and the International Justice Tribune. Her book ‘The Sorrow of Ambon. A history of the Moluccas’ (2008, Balans), won the Dick Scherpenzeelprijs for best non-fiction media production about non-western countries. ‘Seldom we see such a fine example of meaningful travel journalism,’ the jury said. Dutch bestseller author Adriaan van Dis praised it as ‘A magnificent book.’
