John Philpot has fifteen years experience in International Criminal Law. Working in International Criminal Law requires above all team work. John has always worked with a staff of loyal, hardworking and competent attorneys, assistants and investigators and has had the support of a network of families and friends of the Accused persons. He has had modest success in very difficult situations where the trials are often far from being fair. John has organised, with other colleagues, several conferences in International Criminal Law: The Hague, November 2009, Brussels, May 2010, Montreal, September 2012.
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
John Philpot was Senior Counsel at the International Criminal Court in the case The Prosecutor v. Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Mohammed Hussein Ali. His client, Mohammed Hussein Ali, was discharged in January 2012 when the charges were not confirmed. http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2012/01/icc-verdict-in-kenya-case-live/
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR RWANDA (ICTR)
- John was Lead Appeal Counsel for Mr Jean-Paul Akayesu at the ICTR. Mr Akayesu was the first person convicted for genocide at trial. John has always considered that Mr Akayesu was unfairly convicted and demonized worldwide. Important books: Ça ne s’est pas passé comme ça à Kigali from Robin Philpot, Montréal, Les Intouchables, 2003; Rwanda. Crimes, mensonges et étouffement de la vérité from Robin Philpot, Montréal, Les Intouchables, 2007.
- From 2002 to 2009, Mr Philpot represented Mr Protais Zigiranyirazo. Mr Zigiranyirazo, brother in law of the late Juvenal Habyarimana, was accused of being the leader of the “genocide”. Genocide is not the proper expression to describe the Rwandan conflict. It was an international war of invasion which degenerated into a political and ethnic conflict on a very large scale.
- On 16 November 2009, Mr. Protais Zigiranyirazo was acquitted of all his accusations by the Appeals Chamber.
THE PROSECUTOR VS PROTAIS ZIGIRANYIRAZO (ICTR 2001-73)
- Since December 2009, Mr Philpot has been Lead Counsel for Mr Idelphonse Nizeyimana at the ICTR.
KUALA LUMPUR WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL
John Philpot has been a judge at the Kuala Lumpur War crimes Tribunal since November 2013. On 25 November 2013, le Tribunal a convicted Israel of Genocide and General Amos Yaron of genocide and crimes against humanity with respect the Sabra Shatila massacres in September 1982. Israel Found Guilty of Genocide.