Since its creation in 1992, ASF has developed expertise in various areas of the law and in the analysis of the contexts in which it works.

You can download here the annual reports (which include financial statements) and a selection of documents published by ASF, grouped here according to country or programme. 

Strategic notes

• ASF policy on "access to justice" - June 2011 (pdf)
• ASF note on pro bono work - June 2011 (pdf)

Flyers

• ASF General Flyer 2011 (pdf)
• ILN General Flyer 2011 (pdf)

Annual Reports

• Annual Report 2010 (pdf)
• Annual Report 2009 (pdf)
• Annual report 2008 (pdf)
• Annual report 2007 (pdf)
• Annual report 2006 (pdf)
• Annual reports 1998-2005: on request

Burundi

• Study on legal aid in Burundi "Etude de base sur l'aide légale au Burundi" - July 2011 (pdf in French)
• Impact assessment of the project ‘Facilitating access to justice by accused and victims of the 1993 crisis with a view to promoting reconciliation’ - August 2007 (pdf in French)

Democratic Republic of Congo

• Recueil de décisions de justice et de notes de plaidoirie en matière de crimes internationaux - Dec 2010 (pdf 1 - next: on request - in French)
• Gestion alternative des conflits forestiers par la société civile: expériences, pratiques et défis - ASF, 11.11.11 & Greenpeace - Oct 2010 - (pdf 1, pdf 2, pdf 3 - in French)
• Vade-mecum de l’avocat en matière détention préventive - 2010 (pdf in French)
• L'assistance judiciaire des victimes de violences sexuelles: vade-mecum - 2010 (pdf in French)
• L'assistance judiciaire des victimes de torture: vade-mecum - 2010 (pdf in French)
• Rapport d’évaluation externe des projets « Soutien aux audiences foraines et boutiques de droit dans les provinces de l’Equateur et du Maniema » - May 2008 (pdf in French)
• Preventive detention in the DRC: July 2006 - April 2008 (pdf in French)

Globalisation and Justice

• The report “Justice in a Globalised Economy : a challenge for lawyers. Corporate responsibility and accountability in European courts” - March 2011 (pdf)

International and Transitional Justice

• Promoting complementarity in the Democratic Republic of Congo - June 2010 (pdf)
• Study of Case Law:  Application of the Statute of Rome of the International Criminal Court by Congolese Courts - 2009 (pdf - also available in French)
• The modalities of victims’ participation evolve in the Katanga/Ngudjolo trial - Summer 2010 (pdf)

Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories

• Report of the fact-finding mission Enforcing housing rights: the case of Sheikh Jarrah (May 2011)

Rwanda

Observation of genocide trials before the Gacaca tribunals:

Generally speaking, genocide-related cases in Rwanda are tried before either the ordinary courts (for the most serious offences) and the special Gacaca tribunals (for all other offences). The latter are a kind of ‘people’s court’, composed of non-professional volunteer judges elected by the population.  Since 10 March 2005, 118 Gacaca tribunals of first instance and 118 appellate tribunals have been trying the cases of ‘second category’ defendants, whose cases were investigated during the pilot phase.  These defendants include the majority of those accused of murder, attempted murder, and/or other forms of serious attacks against people.  If intent to kill is proven, and in the absence of a confession they are subject to a punishment of up to 30 years in prison.

At present (June 2010), the end date of the Gacaca process is unknown, as is the number of cases still to be tried.

Following a pilot phase in 2002 and 2003, ASF decided in 2005 to provide a team of eight daily observers to monitor the trials in the Gacaca tribunals.  The team has studied a representative selection of cases in order to formulate general comments and recommendations for the attention of the National Secretariat of the Gacaca Tribunals and the Rwandan Government in general, with the goal of contributing to the improvement of this ambitious system of traditional justice.  The analysis provided by ASF relates primarily to the fairness of the proceedings.

Numerous publications have been issued by ASF in relation to this monitoring activity:

• Monthly reports on observation of the Gacaca tribunals (in French)
  March/April 2008 - April/May 2008 - June 2008 - July 2008 - July/August 2008 - August 2008 - August/September 2008 - September 2008 - October 2008 - November 2008 - December 2008
  Previous years and pilot phase: available on request
   
• Analytical reports on the Gacaca tribunals
  Report No. 1 (March - September 2005)
  Report No. 2 (October 2005 - September 2006)
  Report No. 3 (October 2006 - April 2007)
  Report No. 4 (May - December 2007 - in French)
  Report No. 5 (January 2008 - March 2010 - in French)

Other publications:

• Compilations of genocide case law (in French)
  Volume I - Volume II - Volume III - Volume IV - Volume V - Volume VI - Volume VII
• Observation des procès devant les juridictions classiques: rapport de synthèse - April 2011 (pdf in French)
• La pratique judiciaire du contentieux de l’idéologie du génocide et infractions connexes: Limites et défis d’application- April 2011 (pdf in French)
• Recueil de jurisprudence relative au contentieux des mineurs - July 2010 (pdf in French)
• Les droits de l'enfant de A à Z: manuel de vulgarisation des droits de l'enfant - 2010 (pdf in French)

Uganda

• Report "Presumed Innocent, Behind Bars: The Problem of Lengthy Pre-trial Detention in Uganda" - June 2011 (pdf)
• Child trafficking in Soroti, Katakwi, and Kampala Districts: Baseline survey report - June 2010 (pdf)

Timor-Leste

• ASFnews: special edition (pdf)
• Summary of ASF’s work in Timor-Leste since 2002 - Sept 2009 (pdf)
• ASF and the Lawyers’ Association of Timor-Leste (Asosiasaun Advogadu Timor Lorosa'e or AATL) - Sept 2009 (pdf)
• Press release on new legislation concerning private lawyers in Timor-Leste - July 2008 (pdf)