Ms Almudena Bernabeu > Guernica 37 Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile

Ms Almudena Bernabeu

Position

Almudena Bernabeu is the Co-founder of The Guernica 37 Group and Joint Head of Guernica 37 Chambers. She is a renowned international lawyer with a long career and expertise in International Criminal Law, Rule of Law Development, Government Advisory Work, Public International Law, Atrocity Crime, Prevention, International Human Rights Law, and Anti-Corruption & Bribery. She has held extensive lectures and seminars about her experience over the last 20 years in the US and Europe.

Ms Bernabeu is a member of the Bar of England and Wales and a member of the Bar of Madrid. She has been instructed to lead prosecutions in cases in front of the Spanish High Court. She has successfully exercised her advocacy in the United States in cases brought under the Alien Tort Statute before US Federal courts and in criminal cases in Europe under the Principle of Universal Jurisdiction. Almudena Bernabeu has led as an advocate multiple landmark cases regarding international crimes occurred in Chile, El Salvador, Colombia, Libya- Yemen, Syria, Peru, Bangladesh, Iraq, Venezuela, Guatemala, The Gambia, Mexico, and others.

 

Current Work:

International Legal Work

Yemen

Member of the legal team investigating the Saudi-led coalition attack on the civilian population in Yemen constituting war crimes and crimes against humanity.  Filed an Article 15 Communication with the ICC Prosecutor in August 2021 and a criminal report with the Metropolitan Police Service under universal jurisdiction.

South Sudan

Member of the legal team leading an inquiry into an attack on a group of humanitarian workers stemming from the 11 July 2016 attack on the Terrain hotel in Juba, South Sudan

Kosovo Specialist Chambers, Prosecutor v. Nasim Haradinaj

Counsel for the defence in the trial of the Vice President of the Kosovo Liberation Army War Veterans Association on trial for administration of justice offences.

Kosovo Specialist Chambers

Member of the legal team leading the defence of several suspects under investigation for international crimes allegedly committed during the 1998-1999 armed conflict in the Republic of Kosovo.

People’s Tribunal for the Murder of Journalists

Leading the prosecution team to bring the indictment in response to the alarming number of journalists who are murdered in relation to their work, and the lack of justice in the majority of these cases. These murders are the ultimate consequence of a hostile environment for press freedom, characterized by harassment, violent attacks, or other attempts at silencing journalists. The People’s Tribunal on the Murder of Journalists is organised by Free Press Unlimited, the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters without Borders, as part of the initiative A Safer World for the Truth.

Libya

Leading an investigation against two Spanish art dealers that were detained with numerous stolen goods of art of Cyrenaic origin. Filed, as a popular prosecution, a criminal complaint before the Spanish National Court. The criminal complaint was filed against those who appear as criminally responsible, throughout all phases of the investigation for war crimes, terrorist financing, membership of a criminal organization, in connection with a crime of smuggling, money laundering, and forgery of documentation.

Government of Rwanda

Member of the legal team instructed by the Government of Rwanda to advise on the role of French Officials in the 1994 Rwandan Genocide and to ensure that Rwanda suspects on the territory of France are brought to justice. Further, instructed to advise and implement a national reform initiative to strengthen domestic capacity to investigate and prosecute cases of Genocide and Crimes against Humanity.

Colombia

Instructed to assist on a project to investigate international crimes that are considered emblematic for both communities and victims. Our investigations seek to collect evidence and information to identify systematic patterns of violence and specific criminal responsibilities to build legal cases to be filed before the Special Jurisdiction for Peace. Further, currently advising the Officer of the Inspector General (Procuradoria de la Nación)  on developing a national anti-corruption programme.

Syria

Filed the first Article 15 Communication with the ICC Prosecutor based on the legal precedent set by the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber regarding the forced deportation of Rohingya into neighbouring Bangladesh.

Venezuela

Instructed to advise the former Attorney General and members of the Criminal and Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit. During 2017-2018 advised the legal team to investigate and document allegations of crimes against humanity. In mid 2018, led the filing an Article 15 Communication with the ICC Prosecutor.  The matter is presently under investigation.  Further, instructed to investigate corrupt practices, bribery and money laundering of the current Government.

Myanmar/Bangladesh

Filed an amicus brief in the ICC determination of jurisdiction on the alleged forced deportation of 500,000 ethnic Rohingya from the Rakhine State into neighbouring Bangladesh.  Successfully argued that the forced deportation was an element of the Crime of Genocide and/or Crimes against Humanity.

Dr. Abbas Khan v. Syrian Arab Republic

Member of the legal team instructed to lead the investigation into the abduction, torture and murder of a British national by the Military Intelligence of the Syrian Arab Republic.

A.H. v. Syrian Arab Republic

Leading the international legal team that brought the first criminal case against nine senior members of the Syrian Military Intelligence.

International criminal investigation into the situation in Libya

Member of the legal team leading an international investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Libyan National Army into attacks on the civilian population for the period of 2014-2017 in Benghazi, Libya.

Spain v. K.K.

Member of the legal team instructed by the Government of Rwanda to represent the Rwandan Head of National Intelligence and Security, General Karenze, in an extradition request brought by the Government of Spain on charges of genocide and terrorism.  The request was successfully defended and the City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court dismissed the request in August 2014.

The ‘Caesar’ Investigation (2015-2017)

Member of the legal team instructed by the Syrian National Movement to lead an international investigation into the evidence of a former Syrian government official who had documented the mass starvation, torture and execution of several thousand civilian detainees.  (2015-2017)

Article 15 application to the ICC prosecution to open a preliminary investigation into the situation in Bangladesh

Member of the legal team investigating crimes against humanity committed by the Security Forces in Bangladesh on the civilian population for the period of 2012-2015.

 

 

Career

Among her multiple accomplishments, Ms. Bernabeu led the investigation before Spanish High Court of the Genocide committed in Guatemala against the Mayan people. This investigation was instrumental in the conviction of the former Guatemalan dictator Efraín Rios Montt for genocide. Ms Bernabeu’s contribution to this important case was the subject of the documentary film entitled: “Granito: How to Nail a Dictator”. Ms Bernabeu also led the prosecution for the massacre of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper, and her daughter, by members of the Salvadoran Military High Command.

Ms. Bernabeu investigated and provided essential evidence to secure a civil judgment against Pedro Barrientos Nuñez, a former lieutenant in the Chilean Military responsible for the torture and murder of the popular singer Víctor Jara.

Amongst her numerous international cases, in Peru, Ms Bernabeu advocated and ensured the extradition of two military officials involved in the Accomarca massacre, an essential case for the Peruvian Truth Commission. Further, in relation to Argentina’s dirty war, she collaborated in the second extradition of Guillermo Suárez Mason to Buenos Aires where he faced charges of crimes against humanity. Ms. Bernabeu and her team brought the first criminal complaint for crimes committed by the intelligence and security forces of the Bashar Al Assad regime relying upon the Caesar’s photographic files.

Due to her unparalleled contribution to international justice Ms Bernabeu has received numerous awards, including being listed amongst Times magazine 200 most influential people, and the Letelier-Moffit Human Rights prize. In 2017, she received the 26th International Award of the Spanish Federation of Female Directors, Executives, Professionals and Businesswomen.

Almudena holds a LLM degree in International Law from the University of Valencia, where she specialised in Public International Law; Ms. Bernabeu received a honoris causa PhD by the University of Santa Clara, in California in 2013.

Languages

Spanish (Native)
English (Proficient)
French (Proficient)
Catalan (Native)

Memberships

President of The Guernica 37 Centre

List of Counsel of The International Criminal Court 2020

List of Counsel of The Kosovo Specialist Chambers 2020

​Private Prosecutors’ Association

The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple

Bar of England and Wales (2022)

Bar of Madrid 2017

Bar of California 2002-2012

Bar of Valencia 2001-2017

Education

University of Valencia, LLM in Law. Degree in International Public Law, Spain 1990-1995
California Bar Association, Legal practice courses and Bar exam, USA 2002
University of California at Hastings, Introduction to American Law, USA 2001-2002
University of Virginia, English, USA 1996