Founded in 1961, Amnesty International has served as a voice for human rights since its conception. The organisation believes that international law is essential to prevent human rights abuses by nations, military forces, governments and powerful individuals. 

Issue 105 from January/February 2001 (Amnesty UK) comments on the development of the International Court of Justice (ICC). The issue discusses the history of international criminal justice with the cover depicting Nazi leader Hermann Goering in 1947 at the Nuremberg Trials. It gives the further examples of trials at the Hague against leaders who committed genocide in former Yugoslavia and at Arusha for the Rwandan genocide. 

The issue reflects on the violent histories of imperialism and dictatorial regimes, suggesting that the ICC will become a deterrent to those who attempt to repeat such histories.

The Commonweal Collection includes around 60 copies of Amnesty, the Campaign Journal for Amnesty International British Section, published between 1992 and 2001. Other materials in the Collection about Human Rights (Tf) can be found on the catalogue here.

Josie Mulligan (Commonweal volunteer).

A full list of over 1,700 magazines, newsletters, bulletins and journals that are in the Collection can be found here.