What Transitional Justice Is... And Is Not

A victim in Indonesia stands in front of
protest art that demands the full
investigation of a 1984 massacre of
demonstrators in Tanjung Priok.
(Poriaman Sitanggang. 2009)

When the conference opens tomorrow participants from around the world will begin discussing transitional justice in the context of Tunisia.

According to ICTJ, transitional justice is:

"... a response to systematic or widespread violations of human rights. It seeks recognition for victims and promotion of possibilities for peace, reconciliation and democracy. It is not a special form of justice but justice adapted to societies transforming themselves after a period of pervasive human rights abuse. In some cases, these transformations happen suddenly; in others, they may take place over many decades."

To learn more about transitional justice and why it is important for Tunisia now, we spoke with Pablo de Greiff, director of ICTJ's Research Unit.

Interview with Pablo de Greiff, part 1 of 3 [mp3 02:16]
Pablo explains what transitional justice is and if it is "less" or "more" than justice.



Interview with Pablo de Greiff, part 2 of 3 [mp3 02:10]
Pablo describes common challenges to countries in transitions and why it's important to share experiences from different contexts.




Interview with Pablo de Greiff, part 3 of 3 [mp3 01:35]
Pablo explains why justice should be a priority for transitional governments.




You can read more in What is Transitional Justice? Also available in French and Arabic.