Kampala, Uganda | NOW THEN DIGITAL — Uganda’s Julia Sebutinde is now the vice president of the International Court of Justice. She’s been a member of the Court since 2012 and was elected by her colleagues for a three-year term, as stated by the court’s registry on Tuesday.
Her role involves supporting Judge Nawaf Salam from Lebanon, who was elected president for the same duration.
Sebutinde’s recent election follows her decision on the Gaza crisis, which left many surprised. She was one of the two judges who mostly voted against six emergency measures concerning South Africa’s case against Israel, causing quite a stir worldwide.
In a panel of 17 judges, Sebutinde cast the sole dissenting vote against all measures, while Israel’s appointed ad-hoc judge, Aharon Barak, voted differently, causing further confusion.
As the highest court globally, the ICJ offers legal advice on issues submitted by UN bodies and resolves disputes between states.
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Before her tenure at the ICJ, Sebutinde served as a judge at the Special Court for Sierra Leone from 2005 to 2011.
Sebutinde, born on February 28, 1954, holds numerous qualifications, including a Doctorate of Laws from the University of Edinburgh in 2009, and a Master of Laws Degree from the same institution in 1990. She earned her Bachelor of Laws Degree from Makerere University in 1977 and pursued further studies in various legal disciplines across the globe.
PRESS RELEASE: Judge Julia Sebutinde (#Uganda) was today elected Vice-President of the #ICJ by her peers, for a term of three years https://t.co/KCudym2fQl pic.twitter.com/H277yJeUFs
— CIJ_ICJ (@CIJ_ICJ) February 6, 2024
