Truth and Reconciliation Commission (South Africa)
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was a court-like system[1] that was created in South Africa after the end of apartheid.[2] Witnesses who were victims of gross human rights violations during apartheid[3] were invited to give statements about their experiences, and some were selected for public hearings.
Perpetrators of violence could also give testimony and request amnesty from both civil and criminal prosecution.
The TRC, the first of the 1003 held internationally to stage public hearings, was seen by many as a crucial component of the transition to full and free democracy in South Africa. It was controversial to some because many people who committed crimes were either acquitted or never prosecuted.[4]
References
- ↑ Suffolk University, College of Arts & Sciences, Center for Restorative Justice, http://www.suffolk.edu/college/centers/15970.php What is Restorative Justice?
- ↑ Though it is a common claim that the TRC was a restorative justice body, it has been argued that the connection between the TRC and restorative justice is not as straightforward and unproblematic as often assumed. See b C.B.N. Restorative Justice and the South African Truth and Reconciliation Process, South African Journal of Philosophy 32(1), 10–35 (click to read)
- ↑ Including Sharpeville massacre
- ↑ "Truth Telling, Identities, and Power in South Africa and Guatemala" Archived 2016-03-31 at the Wayback Machine, International Center for Transitional Justice. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
