Case 1: ICC v. Saloth Sar (Pol Pot)
The following is to be accepted as the facts of the case, but additional research is necessary.
These facts may not be challenged:
Saloth Sar, under the name Pol Pot, became a leader of Cambodia’s underground Communist
Party following his return from France in 1953. Born to a wealthy family in 1925, Saloth Sar enjoyed
a comfortable childhood and won a educational scholarship to study in France in 1945. While in
France, he became involved in political activities with the Communist Party. On his return to
Cambodia he took on the name Pol Pot and became a leader of the Cambodian Communist Party,
“Khmer Rouge”. The Khmer Rouge became a movement of rebel forces against the post-colonial
government of Prince Sihanouk. However, Prince Sihanouk was overthrown by General Lon Nol in
1970, causing a civil war between Lon Nol’s army and the Khmer Rouge.
The civil war lasted until April 1975 when the Khmer Rouge captured the Cambodian
capital, Phnom Phen. After acquiring power, Pol Pot introduced policies aimed at creating a
communist state. The calendar was set to ‘Year Zero’ and urban Cambodians were forced, in mass
exodus, out of their homes and into rural work camps. All forms of religion were abolished. For
years following Pol Pot’s rise to power, the world knew little about what was happening in
Cambodia. In 1978 Vietnam invaded Cambodia and reports surfaced of extreme violence.
It is estimated that between 1975 and 1979, one to three million Cambodians died out of a
population of seven million. Thousands of former government employees, army members, and
“intellectuals” were reportedly killed at Pol Pot’s command. Thousands more were said to have died
in agricultural camps from famine, disease, and forced labor. Additionally, reports of directed
violence against ethnic minorities were common. Mass graves were found throughout the country
and what appeared to be a ‘torture center’ referred to as S21 provided haunting evidence of these
crimes.
After the Vietnamese invasion, Pol Pot fled into the border region between Cambodia and
Thailand and continued to fight against the Vietnamese-run government in Phnom Phen. The Khmer
Rouge continued to receive international support. A power struggle within the Khmer Rouge
eventually led to its demise and the surrender of Pol Pot.
Resources:
 "Historic Figures: Pol Pot." BBC. BBC. Web.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/pot_pol.shtml>.
 Power, Samantha. A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide. New York:
Basic, 2002. Print.
 "Pol Pot: Life of a Tyrant." BBC. BBC. Web. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asiapacific/78988.stm
 “Pol Pot: Facts and Summary.” History. History.com. Web.
http://www.history.com/topics/pol-pot
 “Pol Pot in Cambodia 1975-1979.” This History Place. Web.
http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/genocide/pol-pot.htm
 “DEATH OF POL POT; Pol Pot, Brutal Dictator Who Forced Cambodians to Killing Fields,
Dies at 73.” The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/17/world/death-pol-pot-
pol-pot-brutal-dictator-who-forced-cambodians-killing-fieldsdies.html?src=pm&pagewanted=3
Definitions:
 exodus: a mass departure of people
 famine: extreme food shortage
Charges Against Truman:
Three (3) counts of Genocide
Article 6(a): Killing members of a national, ethnical, racial or religious group
Article 6(b): Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
Article 6(c): Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about
its physical destruction in whole or in part
Four (4) counts of Crimes Against Humanity committed as part of a widespread or systematic
attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack
Article 7(a): Murder
Article 7(d): Deportation or forcible transfer of population
Article 7(e): Imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of
fundamental rules of international law
Article 7(f): Torture
Notable Actors:
 Saloth Sar (Pol Pot): The accused in this case – a well-educated man from Cambodia who
became the primary leader of a underground communist movement
 Prince Sihanouk (pronounced “see-an-nook”): The King of Cambodia from 1941 to 1955,
and 1993 to 2005, whose policies Pol Pot and his followers rebelled against.
 General Lon Nol: The leader who overthrew Sihanouk in 1970, and then engaged in a civil
war with Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge
 Khmer Rouge (pronounced “ka-mare roo-ge”): The Communist army organized by Pol Pot
 Cambodians, the Vietnamese, the Chinese, and the Chams: The “groups” referred to in
Article 6 that were allegedly victimized by Pol Pot
 Brother Number One/ Brother Secretary: What Pol Pot was referred to as after refusing
Sihanouk's 1963 invitation to join him in forming a new government
Case 2: ICC v. Harry Truman
The following is to be accepted as the facts of the case, but additional research is necessary.
These facts may not be challenged:
Harry Truman, the president of the United States of America during the end of World War II,
issued two executive orders to drop atomic bombs in Japan. The attacks killed as many as 140,000
citizens in Hiroshima and 80,000 citizens in Nagasaki.
In December of 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt authorized the start of the
“Manhattan Project.” Under this project, nuclear reactors were developed in order to produce
enriched uranium, which later culminated in a successful atomic bomb.
For six months prior to dropping the atomic bomb, the United States firebombed over 67
Japanese cities. After Japan’s continual refusal of an unconditional surrender, Truman responded
by issuing an executive order to bomb the Japanese city of Hiroshima with the nuclear weapon,
“Little Boy” on August 6th, 1945. The Japanese did not surrender and Truman proceeded to issue
another executive order to bomb Nagasaki on August 9th, 1946. The second bomb “Fat Man”
resulted in a Japanese surrender six days later. Because Germany had already surrendered, the
Japanese surrender officially ended the Pacific War as well as World War II.
The effect of the bombs included 140,000 deaths in Hiroshima and 80,000 deaths in Nagasaki
from the initial explosion and flash or flame burns, but long-term effects also existed. Japan has
continued to witness a substantial increase in citizens with leukemia, breast cancer, lung cancer,
cancer of the salivary gland, anemia, cataracts, and keloids.
Resources:
 “Atomic Bomb-Truman Press Release-August 6, 1945.” Harry S. Truman Library and
Museum. March 22, 2001. <http://www.trumanlibrary.org/teacher/abomb.htm>.
 Long, Doug. “President Harry S. Truman”. Doug-Long.com. March 22,
2011.<http://www.doug-long.com/truman.htm>.
 Raico, Ralph. “Harry Truman and the Atomic Bomb.” Mises Dailey. Nov. 24, 2010. March
22, 2011. <http://mises.org/daily/4838>.
Definitions:
 unconditional surrender: a surrender in which no promises are made to the surrendering party
Charges Against Truman:
Four (4) counts of War Crimes
Article 8(i): Willful killing;
Article 8(ii): Torture or inhumane treatment;
Article 8(iii):Willfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health;
Article 8(iv): Extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified militarily and
carried out unlawfully and wantonly;
One (1) count of Crimes Against Humanity for his role in Hiroshima and Nagasaki as follows:
 Violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and
torture;


Intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population as such or against individual
civilians not taking direct part in hostilities;
Other inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious
injury to mental or physical health.
Notable Actors:
 Harry Truman: 33rd President of the United States
 Winston Churchill: Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
 Satoshi Kanazawa: Psychology Expert
 George C. Marshall: US General
 Douglas MacArthur: US General
 Henry Stimson: Secretary of War
 Franklin Delano Roosevelt: 32nd President of the United States
 Emperor Hirohito (pronounced “hero-he-toe”): Emperor of Japan
 Joseph Stalin: Dictator of the USSR
International Criminal Court (ICC)
Case 3: ICC v. Foday Sankoh
The following is to be accepted as the facts of the case, but additional research is necessary.
These facts may not be challenged:
Foday Sankoh was the leader of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) during the Sierra
Leone Civil War (1991-2002). With the assistance of Charles Taylor, the President of Liberia,
Sankoh was able to begin a civil war against Joseph Momoh’s (the President of Sierra Leone)
government. During the first year of the war, Sankoh’s forces took large portions of eastern Sierra
Leone in which many of the country’s diamond mines existed. This allowed the civil war to last as
long as it did as Sankoh’s forces utilized diamond sales to fund the military. These diamonds became
known as “conflict diamonds” or “blood diamonds”.
The Sierra Leone Civil War began during the middle of the first Liberian Civil War. This led
to a large amount of Liberian refugees living in Sierra Leone. Sankoh took advantage of this and
recruited Liberian refugees to fight for his cause by offering food, shelter, and medical attention.
Additionally, Sankoh’s soldiers forced children into the RUF at gunpoint. This led to large portions
of Sankoh’s army being made up of child soldiers.
During the war, the RUF was known for committing mass rape against villages and for
torturing pregnant women. Additionally, the RUF would cut off the hands of any soldiers they
captured, in order to ensure that they could never carry a gun again. RUF soldiers also amputated
limbs of civilians when it retreated from an area with many diamonds to prevent the national army
from gaining potential workers. It is said that this practice was developed by Muammar Gaddafi, who
supported Charles Taylor and trained Foday Sankoh.
In 1999, the Lome Peace Accord was signed to end the war. It appointed Sankoh Vice
President of Sierra Leone and gave him control of all of the diamond mines within the
country. However, RUF forces continued to advance in violation of the treaty. The United Kingdom
eventually intervened, sending in military forces with the backing of the United Nations and
successfully defeated the RUF. By that time, 50,000 people had been killed in this conflict and many
more were injured.
Sankoh was eventually arrested and indicted for War Crimes but died before his case could
be brought to trial. Being indicted previously shall not be considered in determining Sankoh’s guilt.
Resources:
 “Foday Sankoh: The cruel rebel”: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3110629.stm
 “Who is Foday Sankoh?”: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2000/may/17/sierraleone
 “Human Rights Abuses Committed by RUF Rebels: Systematic Targeting of Civilians”:
 http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/1999/sierra/SIERLE99-03.htm
 “African Held for War Crimes Dies in Custody of a Tribunal”:

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/31/world/african-held-for-war-crimes-dies-in-custody-ofa-tribunal.html?ref=fodaysankoh
 “The Resistible Rise of Foday Sankoh”:
http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,45102,00.html
 “Foday Sankoh”: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1437579/Foday-Sankoh.html




“Diamond King”: http://www.economist.com/node/277240
“Foday Sankoh”: http://www.economist.com/node/1974062
“Bringing justice to Sierra Leone”: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1765611.stm
“Foday Sankoh”: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2003/jul/31/guardianobituaries.westafrica
Charges Against Sankoh:
One (1) count of Genocide
o Article 6(b): Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
Three (3) counts of Crimes Against Humanity
o Article 7(1)(c): Enslavement;
o Article 7(1)(f): Torture;
o Article 7(1)(g): Rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced
sterilization, or any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity;
Four (4) counts of War Crimes
o Article 8(2)(a)(i): Willful killing;
o Article 8(2)(a)(ii): Torture or inhuman treatment, including biological experiments;
o Article 8(2)(a)(iii): Willfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health;
o Article 8(2)(e)(vii): Conscripting or enlisting children under the age of fifteen years into
armed forces or groups or using them to participate actively in hostilities.
Notable Actors:
 Foday Sankoh (pronounced FOE-day): Leader of Sierra Leone rebel group, the
Revolutionary United Front. Defendant on trial.
 Muammar Gaddafi (pronounced gah-DAH-fee): Former revolutionary and leader of Libya
(1969-2011).
 Charles Taylor: Former President of Liberia (1997-2003).
 Sam Bockarie (pronounced BOE-ka-ree): General in the Sierra Leone Revolutionary
United Front (1997-2003).
 Rev. Jesse Jackson: American civil rights activist. Baptist minister.
 Bill Clinton: President of the United States of America (1993-2001).
 Fatou Sankoh (pronounced faht-OW): Wife of Foday Sankoh. Attorney for refugee rights.
 Joseph Momoh (pronounced ma-MOE): Former President of Sierra Leone (1985-1992)
 Valentine Strasser: Former Head of State of Sierra Leone (1992-1996)
 Jonathan Kposowa: Former Adjutant General. Current Secretary General of the Sierra
Leone Revolutionary United Front
 Lansana Gberie: Senior Researcher at the Institute for Security Studies (Ethiopia).
International Criminal Court (ICC)
Case 4: ICC v. Rafael Trujillo
The following is to be accepted as the facts of the case, but additional research is necessary.
These facts may not be challenged:
Rafael Trujillo was the leader of the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961. In 1925,
Trujillo had been appointed commander-in-chief of the National Police, which he used to lead a coup
against the then Dominican President. Once the President was overthrown, Trujillo began his reign,
turning the Dominican Republic into a one-party state in order to ensure his continued rule.
Throughout Trujillo’s reign, individuals were required to carry an identification card known
as a “palmita” to prove that they were party members. Those not carrying the card could be arrested.
Additionally, many opponents of Trujillo’s party were “mysteriously” killed. A group associated
with Trujillo known as “The 42” would drive down the streets of the Dominican Republic in red cars,
targeting anyone they thought were opposed to the party. Later, the SIM, Trujillo’s secret police,
would resume these activities, and imprison and kill supposed opposition.
In 1937, Trujillo ordered an attack on Haiti, with the goal of taking control of the entire
island. Approximately 20,000 Haitian civilians were killed at the Dominican-Haitian border. In order
to identify if someone was Dominican or Haitian, soldiers would hold up a piece of parsley. Haitians,
who predominantly speak French, had great difficulty pronouncing the Spanish word for parsley. As
such, those who could not properly pronounce the word parsley in Spanish were deemed Haitian and
killed. Thus, this event is often referred to as the Parsley Massacre. Ultimately, Trujillo had to pay
reparations to Haiti of $30 per survivor. Unfortunately, corruption within the Haitian government
prevented nearly all of this money from reaching the victims. `
Resources:
 Accurate Timeline of Trujillo’s reign: http://www.moreorless.au.com/killers/trujillo.html
 Biography of Trujillo from Childhood until his time of Rule: http://www.colonialzonedr.com/people_history-Trujillo.html
 Mysterious Death of the Mirabel Sisters linked to Trujillo’s Rule:
http://departmentofhomegirlsecurity.wordpress.com/2009/03/15/the-mirabal-sisters-in-honorof-womens-history-month/
 Mysterious Death of Jesus de Galindez: http://www.cityofsmoke.com/archives/863
 Background of Parsley Massacre linked to one of his charges of Crimes Against Humanity:
http://nineteenthirtyseven.wordpress.com/the-parsley-massacre/
 Role of Maribel Sisters in Society: http://www.therealdr.com/dominican-republichistory/mirabel-sisters-of-the-dominican-republic.html
 Concise Biography of Trujillo: http://www.history.com/topics/rafael-trujillo
 Powerpint of Trujillo and Maribel Sisters: www.vanderbilt.edu/clas/cms/wpcontent/.../TheEraofTrujillo.ppt
 Comprehensive Biography of Jesus de Galindez and his writing Career:
http://www.myetymology.com/encyclopedia/Jesus_de_Gal%C3%ADndez.html
 Detailed Description of the era of Trujillo: http://countrystudies.us/dominicanrepublic/11.htm
Definitions:
 coup: a sudden, violent, overthrow of government
 reparations: paying money to those who have been wronged
Charges Against Trujillo:
Three (3) counts of Crimes Against Humanity
o Article 7(1)(e): Imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of
fundamental rules of international law
o Article 7(1)(h): Persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial,
national, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender as defined in paragraph 3, or other grounds that
are universally recognized as impermissible under international law, in connection with any
act referred to in this paragraph or any crime within the jurisdiction of the Court
o Article 7(1)(i): Enforced disappearance of persons
One (1) count of War Crimes
o Article 8(2)(a)(i): Willful killing
Notable Actors:
 Rafael Trujillo (pronounced tru-HE-yo): De facto ruler of the Dominican Republic, 19301961. President of the Dominican Republic, 1930-1938, 1942-1952. Commander-and-Chief
of National Police, 1925-1930. Accused of crimes against humanity and genocide committed
during his rule.
 Horacio Vásquez: President of the Dominican Republic, 1924-1930. Overthrown and exiled
by coup led by Trujillo and Rafael Estrella Urena.
 Juan Rafael Estrella Ureña: President of the Dominican Republic (1930). Vice-President of
the Dominican Republic (1930-1932). Led coup along with Trujillo to overthrow Vásquez.
 Jesus de Galindez: Professor at Columbia University. Openly critical of Trujillo’s policies,
disappeared in Manhattan in 1956, supposedly kidnapped and killed by Trujillo.
 Gerald Murphy: American pilot supposedly hired by Trujillo administration to transport the
kidnapped Galindez. Found dead, supposedly at the hands of either the Trujillo government,
or, as the government alleged, Octavio de la Maza.
 The Movement of the Fourteenth of June: Political dissidents of Trujillo who opposed his
supposed imprisoning of their family members. Supposedly killed on Trujillo’s orders.
 Servicio de Inteligencia Militar (SIM): Military Intelligence organization of the Dominican
Republic. Known for conducting operations against political dissidents.
 Servicio Central de Inteligencia (SCI): Sister organization of SIM, known for conducting
similar operations.
 “The 42”: Group associated with Trujillo known for terrorizing political dissidents,
predecessor to the SIM.
 Sténio Vincent: President of Haiti, 1930-1941. Negotiated border treaty with Trujillo in
1936.
 General Démosthènes Pétrus Calixte (pronounced cal-IX-ta): Commander of the Garde
d'Haiti (Haitian military). Supposedly conspired with Trujillo during the Parsley Massacre,
and was eventually relieved of duty by President Vincent.

Élie Lescot; President of Haiti 1941-1946. Ambassador to Dominican Republic during the
Parsley Massacre. Supposedly conspired with Trujillo during the time of the conflict, but it is
well known the two remained affiliated throughout the following years.
Crimes Summary
(See Rome Statute)
Article 5
Crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court
- Genocide;
- Crimes against humanity;
- War crimes;
- The crime of aggression.
Article 6
Genocide
- Killing members of a the group;
- Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
- Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical
destruction in whole or in part;
- Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
- Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
Article 7
Crimes against humanity
- Murder;
- Extermination;
- Enslavement
- Deportation
- Torture
- Rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilization, or any
other form of sexual violence;
- Persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial, national ethnic,
cultural, religious, gender as defined in paragraph 3;
- The crime of apartheid;
Article 8
War crimes
- Willful killing;
- Torture or inhuman treatment, including biological experiments;
- Willfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health;
- Extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and
carried out unlawfully and wantonly;
- Compelling a prisoner of war or other protected person to serve in the forceds of a hostile
power;
- Willfully depriving a prisoner of war or other protected person of the rights of fair and
regular trial;
- Taking of hostages