KU Law News
KU Law News
Oct. 13, 2009
Alumna defending human rights at UN international criminal tribunal in The Hague
Ashlyn Buck, L'09, in the Amsterdam.LAWRENCE – At the heart of Ashlyn Buck’s passion for international human rights law lie the words of Martin Luther King Jr.: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Buck earned an opportunity to defend that principle by securing an internship at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal (ICTY) for the former Yugoslavia. The May 2009 graduate is working in the tribunal’s Office of Legal Aid and Detention Matters through February.
“I am especially excited to have the opportunity to work with a diverse group of some of the best legal talent from around the world,” Buck said. “I am hopeful that the experience will strengthen my interpersonal and research skills and open the door to future opportunities in public international law.”
The ICTY is the ad hoc international court set up by the UN to try high-level war crimes that took place during the conflicts in the Balkans in the 1990s. It is situated in The Hague, Netherlands. Since 1993, the tribunal has charged more than 160 people with committing appalling acts such as murder, torture, rape, enslavement and destruction of property. Those indicted include heads of state, prime ministers, army chiefs-of-staff, interior ministers and many other high- and mid-level political, military and police leaders. More than 60 individuals have been convicted. Buck’s duties focus on protecting the rights of suspects and accused.
An internship abroad the summer after her first year of law school sparked Buck’s interest in international human rights law.
“I became very interested in international tribunals such as the ICTY because they actually implement international law, which has been too frequently disregarded and disrespected, especially in the United States,” she said. “I think U.S. participation in and support for international law regimes is hugely important, both for the world community and for the U.S. itself.”
Her first week on the job, Buck visited the UN Detention Unit twice – a rare experience for interns. She has also conducted comparative legal research; written letters to ambassadors, non-governmental organizations and convicts serving sentences; and helped draft Registry decisions and submissions to the Trial Chambers.
Other highlights have been meeting young lawyers and law students from around the world and enjoying cultural and recreational opportunities in The Hague.
John Head, one of Buck’s international law professors at KU Law, praised Buck and her work as an ICTY intern.
“She is putting her energy where her principles lead her, and this is what I think every young lawyer should try to do,” he said. “The ICTY is one of a small cluster of international institutions that have front-line responsibility for developing and applying certain rules of behavior that are absolutely essential for a civilized world. For Ashlyn to be contributing to this process is great for her own career and a compliment to KU Law.”
Buck is excited to be living out Dr. King’s words on the world stage.
“Human rights are the foundation of a peaceful society, which I think is ultimately the goal of law,” she said. “It's vital that they be respected and enforced in every country. That requires us to set aside our differences and cooperate on a global level.”