International human rights group calls for apartheid-era crimes to be prosecuted
The organisation says this can be achieved through a proposed United Nations treaty aimed at punishing crimes against humanity, including apartheid.
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JOHANNESBURG - International human rights group Madre is calling for apartheid-era crimes to be prosecuted, with perpetrators facing possible jail time.
The organisation says this can be achieved through a proposed United Nations treaty aimed at punishing crimes against humanity, including apartheid.
The call comes as South Africa reopens key inquests, including into the death of struggle icon Chief Albert Luthuli and the Cradock Four, believed to have been killed by apartheid agents.
Human Rights lawyer Wendy Isaacks said that the treaty is still being negotiated, and the South African government must finalise its position on how apartheid crimes should be prosecuted.
"What we are going for here is individual criminal responsibility and accountability, which is prosecution before a court of law and hopefully time in jail.”
Isaacks said that many cases still haven’t seen the light of day.
"There are cases that the foundation for human rights and others are working on, but these are few, when you think of the millions of people who were impacted by apartheid crimes.”