Historic Genocide Case Heard in Barbados Supreme Court

In a landmark moment for regional justice and international law, the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration (CMPI) has filed a powerful legal challenge before the Supreme Court of Barbados, calling for urgent national action in response to Israel’s ongoing atrocities in Gaza. The case urges the Barbados government to align its foreign policy with its obligations under international humanitarian law, amid overwhelming global evidence of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity against the Palestinian people.

The case, brought by CMPI Secretary David McDonald Denny, is being led by veteran human rights attorney and Secretary of the Caribbean Against Apartheid in Palestine (CAAP) Mr Lalu Hanuman. It lays claims against the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the Immigration Department, and the Attorney General, calling on these institutions—and the State of Barbados as a whole— to take immediate and concrete action in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza and to uphold their constitutional and international legal responsibilities.

The Case: Seeking Six Bold Declarations from the Court

The legal filing seeks six core declarations from the Supreme Court:

1. That Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
2. That Israel has committed war crimes in Gaza.
3. That Israel is guilty of crimes against humanity in Gaza.
4. That Israel is operating an apartheid regime against the Palestinian people.
5. That a failure by the Director of Public Prosecutions to investigate or prosecute any person in Barbados involved in the genocide in Gaza constitutes a violation of both the Genocide Act and Article 11 of the Barbados Constitution, which protects the right to life, liberty, and security of the person.
6. That rigorous screening must be implemented at all ports of entry to Barbados for Israeli passport holders, and that any individual with known or suspected involvement in genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity must be:
   • Prosecuted by the DPP, and if that is not possible,
   • Immediately deported by the Immigration Department, in accordance with Barbados law—regardless of diplomatic status.

Members of CAAP were present in court yesterday in solidarity with the action. Also in attendance were students from the Faculty of Law at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, underscoring the educational and generational importance of the case for young Caribbean jurists and activists.

Why This Case Matters

Justice Dr. Herbert Patrick Wells presided over the hearing, emphasising the urgency and international gravity of the matter. He ordered the case to proceed expeditiously, given the accelerating humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

This legal action challenges Barbados’s continued diplomatic and trade relations with Israel—a state that multiple international bodies, including Amnesty International, the International Committee of the Red Cross, UN agencies, and independent legal experts, have identified as responsible for atrocity crimes, including genocide and war crimes through the weaponisation of famine.

According to UNICEF spokesperson James Elder, Gaza is experiencing “daily atrocities,” with thousands of children dying from hunger and dehydration due to the blockade of essential aid and fuel. The UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, has warned that the systematic violence since October 7 is part of a broader campaign of forced displacement and population erasure, stating bluntly that “member states must intervene now to prevent new atrocities that will further scar human history.”

David Denny stated:
“Barbados and CARICOM stood at the forefront of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. We cannot now turn a blind eye to a modern-day apartheid and genocide. To remain silent, or worse, to maintain ‘business as usual’ with Israel, is not neutrality—it is complicity.”

International Law, National Responsibility

Barbados is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Charter, Genocide Convention, and the Geneva Conventions—all of which impose binding obligations to act against war crimes and genocide. The case argues that, under the principle of universal jurisdiction, Barbados is required to investigate and prosecute individuals accused of such crimes if they are present on Barbadian soil.

“If the Director of Public Prosecutions fails to act,” said Attorney Hanuman, “that inaction itself becomes unconstitutional. It violates Article 11 of our Constitution and endangers our legal and moral credibility.”

The movement is also demanding that no person with ties to genocide or crimes against humanity be allowed entry into Barbados. Where prosecution is not feasible, immediate deportation must be enacted, even in the case of diplomatic personnel.

Call to CARICOM and the Region

This case unfolds on the eve of the 49th Regular Meeting of the CARICOM Conference of Heads of Government (July 6–8, 2025). The Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration calls upon CARICOM leaders to break their silence and take collective diplomatic action to hold Israel accountable.

“We are duty-bound by the same moral compass that once guided us in the struggle against apartheid. Today, we must honor that legacy by defending the dignity and rights of the Palestinian people,” said Denny.
“To do less is to betray our history—and our humanity.”

Conclusion

The next hearing in this important constitutional and international human rights case is scheduled for Monday July 21^st, at the Supreme Court. This legal action is not simply a symbolic gesture. It is a demand for accountability, justice, and the enforcement of both domestic constitutional protections and international humanitarian law. It is a call for Barbados to lead the region once again, as it did during the fight to dismantle apartheid.

“We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians,” said Denny, quoting Nelson Mandela—a reminder that the global struggle for justice knows no borders. (Press Release)