Until recently, it seemed that if you killed one person, you went to jail, but if you slaughtered thousands, you usually got away it. Justice is essential to the human rights cause. It provides a measure of respect for the victims of serious abuse. And punishes those who commit atrocities.
Justice helps societies come to grips with the past and move forward.
And it promises to save lives by deterring at least some of tomorrow's torturers. Justice for yesterday's crimes supplies the legal foundation needed to deter atrocities tomorrow. In many countries, however, justice is not a realistic option. The human rights movement can shame and stigmatize abusive governments. We can generate diplomatic and economic pressure to respect human rights.