Welcome to the SAHR Tuesday Talks, presented by the ICA’s Section on Archives and Human Rights (ICA/SAHR). Our initiative aims to foster dialogue and understanding at the intersection of archives and human rights.
About SAHR Tuesday Talks:
SAHR Tuesday Talks is a dynamic platform for experts, scholars, and practitioners to delve into critical issues surrounding archives and human rights. Held on the first Tuesday of every second month at 16:00 CET (Paris time), these virtual talks, that started in 2021, offer invaluable insights into the role of archives in promoting truth, justice, and accountability worldwide.
If you would like to catch up on our previous talks, please find below the full list of sessions and their recordings.
Upcoming Talk:
To stay informed about our upcoming talks, be sure to check the “News and events” page of the ICA/SAHR. For inquiries and further information, please contact us at sahr@ica.org.
How to Participate:
Participation in SAHR Tuesday Talks is open to all. Simply register for the upcoming event through our website to secure your spot. Join us for thought-provoking discussions, exchange of ideas, and networking opportunities with fellow professionals from around the globe.
Stay Connected:
Follow us on social media and subscribe to the ICA Newsletter or the SAHR Newsletter (via email to sahr-newsletter@ica.org) to stay updated on upcoming talks, featured speakers, and relevant resources. Join the conversation using #SAHRTuesdayTalks and #ArchivesAndHumanRights and be a part of our growing community dedicated to advancing human rights through archival practices.
The Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) was the first hybrid tribunal created through a joint agreement between the United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone to try those who bore the greatest responsibility for a civil war which devastated the country from 1991-2002. Following the completion of final appeals, in 2013 the SCSL entered its residual phase (RSCSL), which counts the management of archives amongst its most important functions. The Archives of the RSCSL/SCSL is an extremely valuable collection, documenting the war crimes and atrocities carried out by several warring factions during the conflict. It also represents evidence of the efforts of the Sierra Leonean and international legal community who worked tirelessly to deliver justice, and to demonstrate that perpetrators cannot expect impunity for their actions. These records are important with regards to their impact on both national and international jurisprudence among other convictions, the principle of joint criminal enterprise, forced marriage and prosecution of the crime of recruiting and using child soldiers. During this session, two of the archivists involved in the creation of the RSCSL archives within the Office of the Prosecutor and the RSCSL Registry will share their experiences, impressions and lessons learned on the complex task of securing a complex and sensitive archive for the continued operation of the courts’ residual functions and as a tool for understanding of human rights abuses.
Elena Zhemkova will talk about the main questions related to Memorial records and archives and their use for supporting human rights: 1) how have them been collected and used, mainly by victims of repression or human rights abuses; 2) which are the most important threats against Memorial and its documentary heritage, have any of the records been destroyed or seized within the judicial and political attacks against Memorial?; 3) how Memorial archives are being protected and preserved in the current Russian political situation; 4) what has been the role of Memorial in the fight for opening the public archives of the former USSR; 5) which is the position taken by Memorial on the Ucrania war.