Merve Aydogan
20 June 2026•Update: 20 June 2026
The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) on Friday welcomed “a major breakthrough” in Chile, where the Santiago Court of Appeal recognized the country’s authority to exercise universal jurisdiction in a case involving war crimes in the Gaza Strip.
The June 1 decision came after HRF filed a criminal complaint against Rom Kovtun, an Israeli-Ukrainian citizen accused of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.
The complaint asserted that he served as a sniper in the 424th “Shaked” Battalion of the Givati Brigade during the siege and destruction of the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza between March and April 2024, an operation the foundation said devastated medical infrastructure, blocked civilian evacuations and contributed to deaths through deprivation of food, water and medical care.
A subsequent June 10 hearing resulted in a procedural dismissal, with the court ruling that HRF had not previously lodged a complaint in Israel. HRF said it would appeal and firmly rejected the requirement as contrary to Chile’s obligations under international law.
Dyab Abou Jahjah, general director of HRF, said, “This decision is a major breakthrough. For the first time in this case, a Chilean court has recognized that universal jurisdiction can apply to crimes committed in Gaza. That matters. It means that the wall of impunity is beginning to crack.”
Natacha Bracq, head of litigation at the foundation, said, “The principle of universal jurisdiction is not conditional on the complainant’s ability to navigate the legal system of the aggressor state. Demanding we seek justice in a system designed to protect the perpetrator is not only contrary to the objectives of international justice but also enables impunity.”
HRF said the case forms part of a broader multi-jurisdictional effort to ensure perpetrators of crimes in Gaza face justice wherever they travel.
