This chapter provides a general overview of the structure and workings of the different types of international criminal courts and tribunals. It first introduces the basic types of international criminal tribunal as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each. It then outlines the forms of jurisdiction; considers in more detail the ways in which the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) may be engaged and the limitations which are inherent in its statute on when it may proceed with an investigation or trial; and examines the structure of the ICC as a representative international criminal tribunal, which is internally divided into judicial, prosecutorial, and administrative organs.
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4. Jurisdiction and structure of international criminal courts and tribunals
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9. Crimes against humanity
This chapter discusses the definition of crimes against humanity, its underlying offences, and some of the historical and theoretical issues surrounding the offence. It first outlines the evolution of the legal definition of crimes against humanity, which occurred through the statutes of international criminal tribunals. It then deals with the ‘contextual element’ of the offence; considers the prohibited acts that may form the conduct underlying a crime against humanity, with the exception of the complex crime of persecution; and examines the crime of persecution. Finally, it re-considers the question why there should be a separate category of crimes against humanity.
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12. Immunities Enjoyed by Officials of States and International Organizations
Chanaka Wickremasinghe
This chapter examines the immunities enjoyed by various categories of officials of States and international organizations. It identifies jurisdictional immunity as one of the key legal techniques by which diplomatic relations and, more broadly, international relations and cooperation can be maintained. It recognises that recent developments in international law have increasingly required that immunities be scrutinised and justified, particularly where they impact on individual rights. Among the most striking of such challenges to immunities are those that have arisen in relation to measures which seek to bring an end to the impunity of persons who commit the most serious international crimes, including measures such as the development of extraterritorial jurisdiction and the establishment of international criminal tribunals. A range of judicial decisions is reviewed in order to determine how international law has attempted to reconcile such conflicting priorities in this respect.
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13. Immunities Enjoyed by Officials of States
Chanaka Wickremasinghe
This chapter examines the immunities enjoyed by various categories of officials of States. It identifies jurisdictional immunity as one of the key legal techniques by which diplomatic relations and, more broadly, international relations and cooperation can be maintained. It recognizes that recent developments in international law have increasingly required that immunities be scrutinized and justified, particularly where they impact on individual rights. Among the most striking of such challenges to immunities are those that have arisen in relation to measures which seek to bring an end to the impunity of persons who commit the most serious international crimes, including measures such as the development of extraterritorial jurisdiction and the establishment of international criminal tribunals. A range of judicial decisions is reviewed in order to determine how international law has attempted to reconcile such conflicting priorities in this respect.
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6. Fair trial rights, appeals, and revision and enforcement of sentences
There is no general law or uniform code of international criminal procedure. The International Criminal Court's procedure is still developing, and the ad hoc international criminal tribunals have their own procedural rules. However, defendants before any of the tribunals share certain fundamental fair trial rights. This chapter examines those rights and a defendant's right to appeal against their conviction or sentence. It first introduces general fair trial rights enjoyed by the defendant. It then examines in more detail the content of the right to a public, fair, and expeditious hearing. Next, it considers some of the issues concerning legality of arrest and detention, the right of appeal, and the revision and enforcement of sentences.
Book
Douglas Guilfoyle
International Criminal Law provides an introduction to a fascinating subject area. Structured in four parts, the first part of the work looks at the foundations of international criminal law. Part II considers issues surrounding the prosecuting of international crimes. It analyses areas such as jurisdiction, evidence, procedure, and appeals. Part III is about core international crimes and it examines topics such as war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity, and aggression. The final part looks at defendants in international criminal trials. Finally, consideration is given to issues such as legal defences and immunities under international law.
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13. Defences or grounds for excluding criminal responsibility
This chapter addresses one of the more contentious issues in international criminal law: the extent to which a defendant should be able to plead that there are circumstances excusing or justifying what will invariably be appalling crimes. It first notes that while the distinction between justifications and excuses is known in a number of national legal systems, it is of no direct relevance to international criminal law. It then discusses the following defences before international criminal tribunals: mental incapacity, intoxication, self-defence, duress and necessity, mistake of fact and law, and superior orders. It also considers two defences which arise under the law of war crimes: reprisals and ‘tu quoque’, and military necessity.
