Guest Lecture: The Gaza War: An International Criminal Law View from South Africa (Prof. Windell Nortje)

Guest Lecture „The Gaza War: An International Criminal Law View from South Africa“ (Prof. Windell Nortje - University of Westen Cape, ZAF) on Thursday, December, 11, 2025. 

Prof. Nortje is an associate professor of Criminal Justice and Procedure at the Faculty of Law, University of the Western Cape (UWC), and an advocate of the High Court of South Africa. His research focuses on criminal procedure, the sexual abuse of male soldiers, and the decolonisation of higher education, with particular attention to improving access to basic and higher education for incarcerated persons.

In this presentation, Prof. Nortje will specifically examine South Africa’s role in promoting international criminal accountability in the context of the Gaza War, drawing on its constitutional foundations and long-standing commitment to human rights. Building on South Africa’s initiatives before the International Court of Justice, Prof. Nortje will discuss the country’s strong support for ICC arrest warrants arising from the conflict and analyse how South Africa’s legal framework, political identity, and the legacy of apartheid shape its approach to global justice. The talk will also address the reasons why genocide charges were not included in the ICC arrest warrants.

This presentation offers a valuable opportunity to engage with complex and timely questions of international law that go beyond the scope of regular lectures. There will also be time for questions and discussion, making this an excellent chance to deepen understanding and interact directly with an expert on the topic.

The lecture will take place from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. in the ABS/1-01/U of TU Dresden. The language will be English.