Holding Perpetrators of War Crimes Accountable: A Conversation with Tayab Ali

In Episode 104 of our podcast, Holding Perpetrators of War Crimes Accountable: Lawyers Taking Action, host Sarah Henry sits down with Tayab Ali — Director of the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) and a prominent solicitor — to explore the ground-breaking Global 195 initiative and how individuals everywhere can contribute to the global pursuit of justice.

Despite a packed schedule, Tayab joined us to share his journey into the world of criminal defence law and what ultimately led him to establish the ICJP. While his original ambition was to enter politics — a field he believed could drive real change — Tayab soon realised that the legal route offered a more direct and powerful way to fight injustice. ‘Where I am now in terms of my work at Bindman’s and the ICJP, is a unique situation. I have phenomenal access to politicians across our political establishment in the UK, and across the globe as well. It's important to me not just to be able to talk to them, but to hold those politicians to account.’ 

Instead of turning to public office, Tayab remained in the legal sphere, rising to become partner at the renowned human rights firm Bindmans LLP. His passion for justice and accountability, particularly in the context of long-standing injustices faced by the Palestinian people, pushed him to act beyond traditional legal frameworks.

And so, the ICJP was born — initially launched by Tayab himself with little more than a website, a clear vision, and a determination to build something impactful. Today, the ICJP is a thriving legal hub supported by a global team of lawyers, experts, and staff, all united by a common goal: to support legal work across jurisdictions to protect and assert the rights of Palestinians.

In response to the worsening situation in Gaza and the wider Occupied Palestinian Territories, the ICJP recently launched Global 195 — a bold, international legal initiative designed to coordinate and empower lawyers around the world in the pursuit of war crimes suspects. As Tayab explains in the episode, this project isn’t just for lawyers. There are meaningful ways for everyone to support this cause and play a role in the fight for justice. ‘There is a mechanism for you to join our work whether you're in the UK or across the globe. And we literally want people from everywhere, everywhere!  There is no jurisdiction we don't want to be part of Global195.’

Tune in to hear more about Tayab’s inspiring path, the powerful work being done at ICJP, and how Global 195 is opening doors for collective legal action on a global scale.

Listen now: Episode 104 – Holding Perpetrators of War Crimes Accountable: Lawyers Taking Action – with Tayab Ali[Download here]