Publication

This paper examines how civil society in South Africa has used the courts to ensure that the country's foreign policy complies with human rights standards. The author presents cases where civil society 1) approached South Africa’s courts to secure a measure of accountability for crimes of torture committed in Zimbabwe; 2) prevented the appointment of a suspected Sri Lankan war criminal who Sri Lanka proposed posting to South Africa as its deputy ambassador; and 3) secured the non-attendance of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir at South African President Jacob Zuma's inauguration in 2009.