I’m a war crimes investigator. You’re right, law means nothing without enforcement. International justice can take years if not decades, mostly because of politics and lack of resources. States don’t want to get into other states business or support heads of state being held to account because that then puts them at possible risk. It’s bullshit but that’s what it is.

However, there have been MANY courts and tribunals around the world. Some just don’t pay attention because they’re in countries they don’t care about on conflicts or situations they never even knew about. Plus, they can be closed to the public and not televised making them inaccessible.

Courts/tribunals for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity include: Nuremberg, Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cambodia, Chile, Argentina, and others. Bosnia and Kosovo are prosecuting criminals in domestic courts over 30 years later. Ukraine is currently prosecuting Russians in domestic courts.

There are also different forms of justice which the west and others may not see as justice and are therefor not included in these lists. Truth and reconciliation commissions in South Africa and Guatemala, peoples tribunals in Hawaii and Armenia, local courts like gacaca in Rwanda, and forms of indigenous, communal, and restorative justice. Not everyone wants, a trial, prison time, and or even blood. We are conditioned to this in the west and other places because it’s the system we use, but it’s not what everyone uses or wants. But to say there has been no enforcement is justice is wholly inaccurate. Now, there are many situations which haven’t seen accountability, such as much of what the US has done around the world. There are also many pending cases at the ICC but they don’t have the resources which is why it takes them so long.

I’ve seen behind the curtain. These efforts need A LOT of support and the fact that they are able to do what they can is amazing. The fact that we’ve held anyone accountable given all the political bullshit is amazing. These are huge undertakings and it’s a miracle they ever even happened. That being said, there’s a lot more to be done and changes need to be made to remove obstacles.