It is our great pleasure to introduce our new IntLawGrrls contributor Mirka Fries! Mirka is a human rights advocate and international criminal lawyer. She holds an LL.B. in German and international law, international relations and philosophy from the University of Potsdam, Germany, and recently  she finished her LL.M. in international criminal law in a program jointly organized by the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Columbia Law School, New York, USA (Honors).

Throughout her bachelor studies she worked for different national and international NGOs on children’s rights and with victims of sexual violence and refugees. After finishing her first degree, she spent some time in The Hague working for the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court. Until recently, she assisted a human rights lawyer in her academic and case work. She is currently preparing her PhD in international criminal law and the international penal system. Additionally, she is supporting Amnesty International Berlin as a volunteer. Mirka’s particular interest are in international criminal law, transnational justice, and the right to a fair trial.

In today’s post, Mirka tackles the issue of justice for Syria, asking whether Syria’s president should be tried in a German court.

Heartfelt Welcome!