Do international criminal courts sufficiently enable defence counsel to conduct an effective defence? When the ad hoc Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda were set up in the mid-nineties to prosecute those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law, little thought had been given to how to organize the defence. The Statutes and Rules of Procedure and Evidence were rather concise on the right to legal assistance and the role of the defence in proceedings. Simply assigning one counsel per accused was at first deemed sufficient. However, as the first trials got under way, it became apparent that more assistance was necessary to safeguard fair proceedings. This book is the first integral analysis which deals with the position of the defence in the international criminal courts. It pays particular attention to the sui generis character of international criminal proceedings and explores the critical areas that amount to an effective defence, including a proper legal aid system, access to competent legal assistance, equality of arms between the defence and the prosecution, sound standards of professional conduct and an effective right to self-representation. The book is highly recommended to those working in (international) criminal law, such as practitioners, academics, policymakers and all others interested in this new and still developing area of international law. Dr Jarinde Temminck Tuinstra carried out her research project on defence counsel in international criminal law at the University of Amsterdam and as a visiting researcher at Yale University after which she started working as a criminal defence attorney.
This Work deals with chances and boundaries of the protection of Human Rights through International Law and International Criminal Law. It contains contributions by leading legal scholars and experts from all over the world and provides positive as well as skeptical attitudes.
Israeli Settlements and the International Criminal Court
It has been over 50 years since the beginning of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories. It is estimated that there are over 600,000 Israeli settlers living in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and they are supported, protected, and maintained by the Israeli state. This book discusses whether international criminal law could apply to those responsible for allowing and promoting this growth, and examines what this application would reveal about the operation of international criminal law. It provides a comprehensive analysis of how the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court could apply to the settlements in the West Bank through a close examination of the potential operation of two relevant Statute crimes: first, the war crime of transfer of population; and second, the war crime of unlawful appropriation of property. It also addresses the threshold question of whether the law of occupation applies to the West Bank, and how the principles of individual criminal responsibility might operate in this context. It explores the relevance and coherence of the legal arguments relied on by Israel in defence of the legality of the settlements and considers how these arguments might apply in the context of the Rome Statute. The work also has wider aims, raising questions about the Rome Statute's capacity to meet its aim of establishing a coherent and legally effective system of international criminal justice.
This book discusses whether international criminal law could apply to those responsible for allowing and promoting this growth, and examines what this application would reveal about the operation of international criminal law.
The purpose of this book is to find a unified approach to the doctrine of mens rea in the sphere of international criminal law, based on an in-depth comparative analysis of different legal systems and the jurisprudence of international criminal tribunals since Nuremberg. Part I examines the concept of mens rea in common and continental legal systems, as well as its counterpart in Islamic Shari'a law. Part II looks at the jurisprudence of the post-Second World War trials, the work of the International Law Commission and the concept of genocidal intent in light of the travaux préparatoires of the 1948 Genocide Convention. Further chapters are devoted to a discussion of the boundaries of mens rea in the jurisprudence of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. The final chapter examines the definition of the mental element as provided for in Article 30 of the Statute of the International Criminal Court in light of the recent decisions delivered by the International Criminal Court. The study also examines the general principles that underlie the various approaches to the mental elements of crimes as well as the subjective element required in perpetration and participation in crimes and the interrelation between mistake of law and mistake of fact with the subjective element. With a Foreword by Professor William Schabas and an Epilogue by Professor Roger Clark From the Foreword by William Schabas Mohamed Elewa Badar has taken this complex landscape of mens rea at the international level and prepared a thorough, well-structured monograph. This book is destined to become an indispensable tool for lawyers and judges at the international tribunals. From the Epilogue by Professor Roger Clark This is the most comprehensive effort I have encountered pulling together across legal systems the 'general part' themes, especially about the 'mental element', found in confusing array in the common law, the civil law and Islamic law. In this endeavour, Dr Badar's researches have much to offer us.
The purpose of this book is to find a unified approach to the doctrine of mens rea in the sphere of international criminal law, based on an in-depth comparative analysis of different legal systems and the jurisprudence of international ...
'Green Crimes and International Criminal Law' examines crimes against the environment, which impact not only humans, but also wildlife and ecosystems more generally. A significant point of discussion in the volume is whether green crimes can fit effectively into existing international criminal law frameworks or not. Chapter authors explore these crimes from both a definitional and theoretical perspective and in various contexts in different parts of the world, questioning whether these violations have led to or are violations of international criminal law.While the recognition of green crimes in the international criminal law community has been slow, it has increasingly gained widespread attention. This volume acknowledges the growing interest and seeks to promote debate among academics and professionals working on the subject. The aim of these texts is to encourage meaningful action around green crimes within the international criminal law community so that environmental justice can become established.The collection will be of particular interest to practicing attorneys and academics studying international criminal law, especially those keen on investigating how green crimes can be incorporated into the specific canon of international law.
Members of racial groups are protected under international law against genocide, persecution, and apartheid. But what is race - and why was this contentious term not discussed when drafting the Statute of the International Criminal Court? Although the law uses this term, is it legitimate to talk about race today, let alone convict anyone for committing a crime against a racial group? This book is the first comprehensive study of the concept of race in international criminal law. It explores the theoretical underpinnings for the crimes of genocide, apartheid, and persecution, and analyses all the relevant legal instruments, case law, and scholarship. It exposes how the international criminal tribunals have largely circumvented the topic of race, and how incoherent jurisprudence has resulted in inconsistent protection. The book provides important new interpretations of a problematic concept by subjecting it to a multifaceted and interdisciplinary analysis. The study argues that race in international criminal law should be constructed according to the perpetrator's perception of the victims' ostensible racial otherness. The perpetrator's imagination as manifested through his behaviour defines the victims' racial group membership. It will be of interest to students and practitioners of international criminal law, as well as those studying genocide, apartheid, and race in domestic and international law.
