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‘While it is no magic bullet, law can
play a much greater role in tackling
serious human rights violations.’
Prof. Liesbeth Zegveld (1970)
- Studied law at Utrecht University.
- Obtained her doctorate cum laude in 2000, and was awarded various prizes for her doctoral thesis.
- Admitted to the bar in Amsterdam in 2000.
- Partner at Böhler since 2005.
- Member of the International Law Association’s Committee for Reparation for War Victims.
- Member of the Advisory Council of The Rights Forum, an NGO dedicated to achieving a just policy for the Middle East, which is led by the former Dutch Prime Minister Dries van Agt.
- Member of the international law & human rights department and the international humanitarian law practice group.
Liesbeth Zegveld specialises in legal remedies for war victims. Since September 2006, she has been Professor of International Humanitarian Law, in particular the Rights of Women and Children, at Leiden University. In addition, she acts for the Nuhanovic Foundation, an organisation that is dedicated to the advancement of legal remedies for war victims. In 2011, she received the Clara Meijer-Wichmann medal. This medal is awarded annually to a person deserving of special recognition for his or her commitment to the defense of human rights, particularly in the Netherlands.
Press and publications
Liesbeth Zegveld has published widely on topics related to international law and international humanitarian law. Recent publications by and about her include:
- 'Advocaat in goede zaken' ['Lawyer in good affairs'], Advocatenblad [periodical for practicing lawyers], 18 June 2010
- 'Victims Reparations Claims and International Criminal Courts' , Journal of International Criminal Law (2010)
- Clara Wichmann lecture: 'Missie geslaagd, burgers overleden' ['Mission a success, civilians dead'], NRC Handelsblad [daily newspaper], 10 december 2008
- 'Rechters vormen een gesloten bolwerk' ['Judges form a closed bulwark'],Volkskrant [daily newspaper], 3 November 2010
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'Mijn missie is nog niet af' ['My mission is not finished yet'], Trouw [daily newspaper], 24 September 2011
Selection of cases
- Adviser to Greenpeace Netherlands in various cases involving Trafigura and the dumping of waste products from the vessel Probo Koala in Ivory Coast in August 2006.
- Adviser to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in its efforts to combat Japanese whaling.
- Represents the widows of Rawagedeh (Indonesia), whose husbands were executed by Dutch soldiers in 1947, in a civil action brought against the Kingdom of the Netherlands. She also represents the widows and children of the victims of four similar bloodbaths on the island of South-Sulawesi in 1947.
- Represents victims of the genocide in Srebrenica in 1995 in a civil action brought against the state.
- Acted on behalf of Kenyan victims before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
- Represents various Israeli and Palestinian human rights NGOs with regard to the oppression of the Palestinian people.
- Acts on behalf of a wide range of NGOs on issues relating to human rights and the environment.
- Represents two so-called East-Indies objectors in request for review of their convictions.
