APN | Zoom

28 September 2025

APN launched an international People’s Court initiative, adopted by the International League of Peoples’ Struggles (ILPS), the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, and the People's Coalition on Food Sovereignty. The initiative aims to document the genocide, ecocide, and starvation in Gaza, while exposing the complicity of governments and international institutions that have allowed these conditions to persist. APN President Razan Zuayter stated at the launch: “What we are witnessing is not random violence but the outcome of long-standing, systematic, settler-colonial strategies of the Israeli occupation. When states and institutions fail, the people must rise to hold power to account”.

In her remarks, Zaiter emphasized that the court’s goal is to document “systematic crimes,” particularly starvation and ecocide, noting that military operations and the siege have caused near-total destruction of Gaza’s agricultural sector and water resources, creating a man-made famine. She added that the tribunal's preparatory committee is supported by international networks and organizations, including solidarity movements, lawyers, and agricultural unions.

Zuayter highlighted that over 680,000 people have been killed and more than 90% of the agricultural sector has been deliberately destroyed, criticizing the silence and impunity of countries. She called on the international community, popular movements, and activists to contribute to building a people’s legal file that documents evidence and highlights the responsibility of governments, corporations, and international bodies.

The concept of the People’s Tribunal draws on historical precedents of parallel tribunals used to document violations when official institutions fail to deliver justice, Zuayter explained.

The tribunal team will collect witness testimonies, document environmental and agricultural evidence, and summon independent experts to provide reports on whether the violations constitute crimes under international law. ILPS also announced a series of events, advocacy campaigns, and workshops to train local and international documenters.