WHAT WE DO
PEJ’s three-step model consists of training, mentoring, and providing independent legal consulting. It is adaptable and can be applied in conflict and post-conflict situations and to a range of criminal matters and serious human rights abuses. We partner and train local lawyers and investigators to collect, analyze, and preserve evidence according to international legal standards. Without evidence, there can be no accountability. We further build local capabilities and launch the justice process forward through case-specific mentoring and strategic guidance provided to local legal practitioners and investigators. Finally, we partner with local NGOs, pro bono law firms, and legal clinics to represent victims of international crimes and serious human rights abuses in court or in alternative judicial mechanisms. Our innovative model includes the following key aspects:
LINKING THE CRIMES TO THOSE RESPONSIBLE
A critical difference between collecting evidence for litigation and documenting human rights abuses for advocacy is the need to prove to a higher standard the link between the crime and the person or entities responsible. PEJ trains and mentors local practitioners so that they can identify these links. Our trainings are conducted by world-class legal practitioners focusing on international law and procedure and internationally recognized standards for evidence collection. This training is intended to ensure that mass atrocities and other crimes are recorded and evidence is preserved so that it can be used in any forum, whether at the national, regional or international level.