Hannah is dual qualified in Australia and in England & Wales. She currently practises as a barrister at Hanson Chambers in Adelaide, Australia.
International Human Rights
Overview
Dr Hannah Tonkin has worked for many years as a lawyer for the United Nations and other international organisations, as well as teaching international law and human rights at different universities around the world.
Most recently, Hannah was the Acting Director of Legal Affairs for one of the largest Agencies of the UN (UNRWA), where she led a large team of in-house counsel providing legal advice on all aspects of the Agency’s operations across its five fields of operation (Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, West Bank and Gaza).
From 2019 to 2020 Hannah was the Director of Disability Rights at the Australian Human Rights Commission in Sydney. In that role, she worked collaboratively with the disability sector and the Australian Government to remove discrimination and promote the rights of people with disability in Australia and around the world.
Previously, Hannah held a number of different positions at the UN and other international organisations around the world. For example, she was the Head of UNRWA's Legal Office in Gaza from 2017 to 2019, where she managed a large team responsible for ensuring the provision of politically sensitive legal advice on a wide range of matters relating to the UN’s humanitarian operations in Gaza.
From 2014 to 2017 Hannah worked at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in New York, advising on international law and humanitarian policy with a view to ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance by UN agencies and NGOs working in crisis zones.
Hannah also worked for several years as a lawyer at various international courts and tribunals, including the International Criminal Court, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, and the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.
In 2011, Hannah worked as a legal adviser to the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, based in Manama, Bahrain. The Commission was tasked with determining whether the events that took place in Bahrain in 2011 violated international human rights law and norms, and making recommendations aimed at preventing future such violations.
Notable Cases
Hannah has worked on a number of high-profile cases, including:
Prosecutor v Charles Taylor (Special Court for Sierra Leone) [2011-2013]
Hannah advised the Judges of the Appeals Chamber in the appellate proceedings arising from the conviction of Charles Taylor, former President of Liberia, for being an accessory to crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Sierra Leone.
Prosecutor v Augustin Ndindiliyimana et al. (International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda) [2010-2011]
Hannah advised the Judges of the Trial Chamber in the case against Augustin Ndindiliyimana, Augustin Bizimungu, François-Xavier Nzuwonemeye and Innocent Sagahutu for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Rwanda.
Prosecutor v Édouard Karemera et al (International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda) [2011]
Hannah advised the Judges of the Trial Chamber in the case against Édouard Karemera and Matthieu Ngirumpatse for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Rwanda.
Prosecutor v Vojislav Šešelj (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) [2010]
Hannah worked as a lawyer for the prosecution in the case against Vojislav Šešelj, leader of the Serbian Radical Party, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia.
Prosecutor v Jean Pierre Bemba (International Criminal Court) [2008-2009]
Hannah advised the Judges of the Appeals Chamber in interlocutory appellate proceedings in the case against Jean Pierre Bemba, former Congolese Vice-President, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the Central African Republic.
Prosecutor v Slobodan Milošević (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia), 2004
Hannah worked as a lawyer for the Prosecution in the case against Slobodan Milošević, former President of Serbia, for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia.
Contact Hannah
International Crime and Conflict Law
Overview
Dr Hannah Tonkin has worked for many years as a lawyer for the United Nations and other international organisations, as well as teaching international law and human rights at different universities around the world.
Most recently, Hannah was the Acting Director of Legal Affairs for one of the largest Agencies of the UN (UNRWA), where she led a large team of in-house counsel providing legal advice on all aspects of the Agency’s operations across its five fields of operation (Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, West Bank and Gaza).
From 2019 to 2020 Hannah was the Director of Disability Rights at the Australian Human Rights Commission in Sydney. In that role, she worked collaboratively with the disability sector and the Australian Government to remove discrimination and promote the rights of people with disability in Australia and around the world.
Previously, Hannah held a number of different positions at the UN and other international organisations around the world. For example, she was the Head of UNRWA's Legal Office in Gaza from 2017 to 2019, where she managed a large team responsible for ensuring the provision of politically sensitive legal advice on a wide range of matters relating to the UN’s humanitarian operations in Gaza.
From 2014 to 2017 Hannah worked at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in New York, advising on international law and humanitarian policy with a view to ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance by UN agencies and NGOs working in crisis zones.
Hannah also worked for several years as a lawyer at various international courts and tribunals, including the International Criminal Court, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, and the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.
In 2011, Hannah worked as a legal adviser to the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, based in Manama, Bahrain. The Commission was tasked with determining whether the events that took place in Bahrain in 2011 violated international human rights law and norms, and making recommendations aimed at preventing future such violations.
Notable Cases
Hannah has worked on a number of high-profile cases, including:
Prosecutor v Charles Taylor (Special Court for Sierra Leone) [2011-2013]
Hannah advised the Judges of the Appeals Chamber in the appellate proceedings arising from the conviction of Charles Taylor, former President of Liberia, for being an accessory to crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Sierra Leone.
Prosecutor v Augustin Ndindiliyimana et al. (International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda) [2010-2011]
Hannah advised the Judges of the Trial Chamber in the case against Augustin Ndindiliyimana, Augustin Bizimungu, François-Xavier Nzuwonemeye and Innocent Sagahutu for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Rwanda.
Prosecutor v Édouard Karemera et al (International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda) [2011]
Hannah advised the Judges of the Trial Chamber in the case against Édouard Karemera and Matthieu Ngirumpatse for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Rwanda.
Prosecutor v Vojislav Šešelj (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) [2010]
Hannah worked as a lawyer for the prosecution in the case against Vojislav Šešelj, leader of the Serbian Radical Party, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia.
Prosecutor v Jean Pierre Bemba (International Criminal Court) [2008-2009]
Hannah advised the Judges of the Appeals Chamber in interlocutory appellate proceedings in the case against Jean Pierre Bemba, former Congolese Vice-President, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the Central African Republic.
Prosecutor v Slobodan Milošević (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia), 2004
Hannah worked as a lawyer for the Prosecution in the case against Slobodan Milošević, former President of Serbia, for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia.
Contact Hannah
Public International Law
Overview
Dr Hannah Tonkin has worked for many years as a lawyer for the United Nations and other international organisations, as well as teaching international law and human rights at different universities around the world.
Most recently, Hannah was the Acting Director of Legal Affairs for one of the largest Agencies of the UN (UNRWA), where she led a large team of in-house counsel providing legal advice on all aspects of the Agency’s operations across its five fields of operation (Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, West Bank and Gaza).
From 2019 to 2020 Hannah was the Director of Disability Rights at the Australian Human Rights Commission in Sydney. In that role, she worked collaboratively with the disability sector and the Australian Government to remove discrimination and promote the rights of people with disability in Australia and around the world.
Previously, Hannah held a number of different positions at the UN and other international organisations around the world. For example, she was the Head of UNRWA's Legal Office in Gaza from 2017 to 2019, where she managed a large team responsible for ensuring the provision of politically sensitive legal advice on a wide range of matters relating to the UN’s humanitarian operations in Gaza.
From 2014 to 2017 Hannah worked at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in New York, advising on international law and humanitarian policy with a view to ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance by UN agencies and NGOs working in crisis zones.
Hannah also worked for several years as a lawyer at various international courts and tribunals, including the International Criminal Court, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, and the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.
In 2011, Hannah worked as a legal adviser to the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, based in Manama, Bahrain. The Commission was tasked with determining whether the events that took place in Bahrain in 2011 violated international human rights law and norms, and making recommendations aimed at preventing future such violations.
Notable Cases
Hannah has worked on a number of high-profile cases, including:
Prosecutor v Charles Taylor (Special Court for Sierra Leone) [2011-2013]
Hannah advised the Judges of the Appeals Chamber in the appellate proceedings arising from the conviction of Charles Taylor, former President of Liberia, for being an accessory to crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Sierra Leone.
Prosecutor v Augustin Ndindiliyimana et al. (International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda) [2010-2011]
Hannah advised the Judges of the Trial Chamber in the case against Augustin Ndindiliyimana, Augustin Bizimungu, François-Xavier Nzuwonemeye and Innocent Sagahutu for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Rwanda.
Prosecutor v Édouard Karemera et al (International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda) [2011]
Hannah advised the Judges of the Trial Chamber in the case against Édouard Karemera and Matthieu Ngirumpatse for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Rwanda.
Prosecutor v Vojislav Šešelj (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) [2010]
Hannah worked as a lawyer for the prosecution in the case against Vojislav Šešelj, leader of the Serbian Radical Party, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia.
Prosecutor v Jean Pierre Bemba (International Criminal Court) [2008-2009]
Hannah advised the Judges of the Appeals Chamber in interlocutory appellate proceedings in the case against Jean Pierre Bemba, former Congolese Vice-President, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the Central African Republic.
Prosecutor v Slobodan Milošević (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia), 2004
Hannah worked as a lawyer for the Prosecution in the case against Slobodan Milošević, former President of Serbia, for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia.
