Nations International Criminal Tribunal

Markup Working Draft 200823 – Open for Amendments by Principal Parties

International NICT Charter Panel, Yesenia Cortés

Abstract

The Nations International Criminal Tribunal (NICT) Charter outlines a hybrid legal framework by which international crimes against Indigenous nations can be prosecuted. The Charter stems from Dr. Rudolph Rÿser’s consultations with the Yezidi nation in northern Iraq following the 2014 genocide perpetrated by ISIS. Led by Rÿser, the Center for World Indigenous Studies drafted an instrument through which Indigenous Nations worldwide could seek legal redress for the ongoing and historical atrocities committed against them. The charter is composed of 13 sections detailing the jurisdiction, administration, and mechanisms by which the court operates. Among others, the tribunal oversees crimes of genocide, aggression, colonization, ecocide, and gender-based violence. The charter provides a comprehensive set of codes guaranteeing just due process for all parties involved. Unlike preceding international legal institutions, the NICT maps specific channels for enforcing rulings based on reparative justice principles—ensuring self-determination
and autonomy of Indigenous nations within the juridical process.