Written by: Gillian Fraser
Article source: JOY! Magazine

Julia Sebutinde from Uganda is taking over the temporary presidency of the 15-judge United Nations court based in The Hague (Netherlands). She had served as International Court of Justice (ICJ) vice-president for the past year, after a long tenure at the court since she was first elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2021.

Sebutinde takes over from Nawaf Salam, who stepped down to become Lebanon’s new prime minister. Sebutinde is an evangelical Christian. Her ties with the Ugandan evangelical community are strong.

She came to prominence when she was the only one of the 15 judges to express a dissenting opinion in the South Africa v. Israel “genocide” case that began in February 2024. In her 11-page argument, Judge Sebutinde said that “Hamas bears at least partial responsibility for the welfare of Palestinians”, and called for “diplomatic, not legal solutions” to the conflict.

She also warned against ideological bias, calling for a deep analysis of the historical context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that led to the Gaza war.

Her positions contrasted starkly with those of the former president of the ICJ, Nawaf Salam, who accused “terrorist Jewish organisations” of committing “organised massacres” in Gaza. The leadership transition comes as Israel will present its defence before the ICJ in July.

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Date published: 03/02/2025
Feature image: Acting president of the International Court of Justice

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