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The Hague, Netherlands 14-16 October 2016

The Hague, Netherlands 14-16 October 2016. What is the International Monsanto Tribunal?. An international people ’ s tribunal in The Hague (city of the International Court of Justice) to hold Monsanto accountable for Crimes Against Humanity and Ecocide.

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The Hague, Netherlands 14-16 October 2016

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  1. The Hague, Netherlands 14-16 October 2016

  2. What is the International Monsanto Tribunal? • An international people’s tribunal in The Hague (city of the International Court of Justice) to hold Monsanto accountable for Crimes Against Humanity and Ecocide. • An international people’s assembly organized by civil society organisations to give voice to victims of corporate industrial agriculture and to promote positive change. • http://www.monsanto-tribunal.org/

  3. Why a Tribunal? • Monsanto contributes significantly to climate, environmental, and social crises, yet operates with near legal impunity. • It isextremelydifficult and costly for citizensanywhere to take action against transnational companies. • Agroup of citizens and NGOs has taken the initiative to organize an International Tribunal to beheld in The Hague, Netherlands 14-16 October 2016

  4. Why Monsanto? • Monsanto develops toxic products, which permanently damage the environment and cause illness and death for thousands of people.  • Monsanto promotes industrial agriculture that • depletes soil and water resources, • drives biodiversity loss, • displaces millions of small farmers, • contributes to 1/3 of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, and • threatens peoples’ food sovereignty by patenting seeds and privatizing life. • The history of Monsanto constitutes a text-book case of impunity. • Monsanto itself is a problem; it is also a symbol.

  5. What is unique about the Monsanto Tribunal? • A civil society mobilization to clarify the legal obligations of transnational companies. • Composed of eminent lawyers and judges, with proceedings based on international human rights and humanitarian law. • Following Chapter IV of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, it will deliver an advisory opinion on the 6 questions in its terms of reference. • Will hear testimonies from victims and scientific experts, and pleadings from lawyers. • These characteristics make the IMT a unique enterprise, with few equivalents across the world.

  6. What are the terms of reference? • Did the firm Monsanto violate, by its activities, the right to a a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment, as recognized in international human rights law? • Did the firm Monsanto violate, by its activities, the right to food, as recognized in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women? • Did the firm Monsanto violate, by its activities, the right to the highest attainable standard of health, as recognized in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child?

  7. What are the terms of reference? • Did the firm Monsanto violate the freedom indispensable for scientific research, as guaranteed by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as well as the freedoms of thought and expression guaranteed in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights? • Is the firm Monsanto complicit in the commission of a war crime, as defined in the International Criminal Court, by providing materials to the United States Army in Viet Nam in 1962? • Could the past and present activities of Monsanto constitute a crime of ecocide, understood as causing serious damage or destroying the environment, so as to significantly and durably alter the global commons or ecosystem services upon which certain human groups rely?

  8. Is the Tribunal legally binding? • The International Monsanto Tribunal will deliver an authoritative legal opinion, following procedures of the International Court of Justice. • The legal opinion that results should: • support efforts of communities across the world to seek justice, • encourage governments to do more to regulate the activities of Monsanto or other companies, • contribute to the progressive development of international law, especially on legal recognition of the crime of ecocide. 

  9. Who is organizing the Tribunal? • A Steering Committee of 30 people • Some members of The Steering Committee of the Tribunal: • http://www.monsanto-tribunal.org/why-a-tribunal/about-us/

  10. How can YOU participate? SUPPORT THE TRIBUNAL as an individual or a civil society organisation: • Sign to show your support: • Individuals: http://www.monsanto-tribunal.org/why-a-tribunal/sign/ • Organizations: http://www.monsanto-tribunal.org/success/ngo-signers/ • Participate as a volunteer by emailing: info@monsanto-tribunal.org

  11. How can YOU participate? SPREAD THE WORD about the Monsanto Tribunal: • Share the Monsanto Tribunal website with organisations, friends, colleagues, social networks. • Follow and shareourFacebook and Twitter posts. • Post a Monsanto Tribunal banner on your website. • Publish articles about the Tribunal in local newspapers and newsletters.

  12. How can YOU participate? DONATE : http://www.monsanto-tribunal.org/why-a-tribunal/donate/ • The costs of organising and operating the Tribunal should be financed primarily by citizens of the world and civil society organizations. The defense of the safety of the planet and its inhabitants is the concern of all people! • Each person - living in Africa, North or South America, Europe, Asia or Australia - is invited to contribute now to ensure that funds are secured in time for the Tribunal. • The Tribunal's budget is estimated at €1 million. • Visit the crowdfunding platform on our website.

  13. How can YOU participate? Organize an event for the People’s Assembly, 14-16 October 2016: We invite your organization to host an activity as part of the People’s Assembly. Some ideas of activities include: an information booth or display about your organization’s activities, a workshop, a creative performance, an interactive activity, etc. We invite sessions organised by Civil Society Organizations on: 1. Owning life (patents, seeds, etc.) 2. Poisoning life 3. Attacks on farmers’ rights 4. The Right to information 5. Attacks on science and whistleblowers 6. Attacks on democracy (TTIP) 7. Future food systems and future farming visions

  14. When and Where? • People’s Tribunal • 15-16 October 2016 • The Hague, Netherlands • Legal advisory opinion released December 2016 • People’s Assembly • 14-16 October • The Hague, Netherlands

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