The Position of Witnesses before the International Criminal Court

The Position of Witnesses before the International Criminal Court
Author: Sylvia Ntube Ngane
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 430
Release: 2015-08-25
Genre: Law
ISBN: 900430195X

The book is an evaluation of the doctrine and practice of international criminal courts and tribunals on the position of witnesses against a theoretically informed ideal of a cosmopolitan world order. It seeks to ascertain that there is a cosmopolitan international community, with shared values, that are instantiated in the international criminal tribunals, and that is what justifies the exercise of jurisdiction over witnesses who provide false testimony or engage in other forms of contempt of court. The book evaluates the practice of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

The Law and Practice of the International Criminal Court

The Law and Practice of the International Criminal Court
Author: Carsten Stahn
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 1441
Release: 2015
Genre: Law
ISBN: 0198705166

The International Criminal Court has significantly grown in importance and impact over the decade of its existence. This book assesses its impact, providing a comprehensive overview of its practice. It shows how the Court has contributed to major developments in international criminal law, and identifies the ways in which it is in need of reform.

Judging Justice

Judging Justice
Author: James D Meernik
Publisher: University of Michigan Press
Total Pages: 232
Release: 2019-02-07
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0472124854

Some injustices are so massive, so heinous, and so extraordinary that ordinary courts are no longer adequate. The creation of international courts and tribunals to confront major violations of human rights sought to bring justice to affected communities as well as to the entire world. Yet if justice is a righting of the imbalance between what has happened and what is reflected in the law, no amount of punishment and no judgment could compensate for that suffering and loss. In order to understand the meaning of justice, James David Meernik and Kimi Lynn King studied the perspective of witnesses who have testified before the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Using a unique survey, Meernik and King look at the identity of the victims and their perception of the fairness of ICTY. Because of the need to justify the practical and emotional difficulties involved in testifying before an international tribunal, witnesses look not just to the institution to judge its effectiveness, but also to their own contribution, by testifying effectively. The central elements of the theory Meernik and King develop—identity, fairness, and experience—transcend specific conflicts and specific countries and are of importance to people everywhere.

The Dynamics of International Criminal Justice

The Dynamics of International Criminal Justice
Author: Hirad Abtahi
Publisher: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers
Total Pages: 332
Release: 2006
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9004145877

This book is dedicated to the memory of Sir Richard May, who passed away on 1 July 2004, and to the rich legacy he has left behind in the area of international criminal law. It contains in-depth analyses of a range of issues critical to the development and understanding of international criminal law, written by contributors who worked in some way with Sir Richard during his tenure at the ICTY, particularly during his last years as Presiding Judge of the Milosevi? Trial. It contains a Foreword by the President of the ICTY, Theodor Meron, and substantive work in three main parts: one chapter concerning the development and understanding of human rights; five chapters addressing international criminal law issues in the context of ICTY proceedings; and two chapters focusing on substantive aspects of international criminal law. All the chapters analyse international criminal law as applied by the ICTY, as well as the ICC, ICTR and other international or hybrid criminal tribunals, and are all authored by persons in a position to give great insight into the subject matter discussed.

The Standing of Victims in the Procedural Design of the International Criminal Court

The Standing of Victims in the Procedural Design of the International Criminal Court
Author: Tatiana Bachvarova
Publisher: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers
Total Pages: 279
Release: 2017-05-08
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9004338616

This book canvasses the autonomous position of victims before the International Criminal Court. It seeks to provide an objective and balanced perspective, and neither rejects the idea of victims’ participation nor seeks to extend it beyond the contours determined by the founders of the ICC. The author contributes to the existing debate in academia and in practice by delineating the core, most complex and contentious matters ensuing from the role assigned to victims. The scrupulously selected issues unveil and blueprint the essential characteristics that delimit the standing of victims as independent actors in the ICC’s arena, distinct from the parties and other non-party participants. As an integral part of the ICC’s synergy, victims converge and interact with its other components. Therefore, the position and role of victims are contemplated in the context of the Court’s procedural mechanism and the mission pursued by the parties and the Chamber. The philosophy underpinning the ICC’s design and the standing of victims therein also requires analysis from a wider perspective. Accordingly, the volume draws an in-depth parallel with relevant developments and trends at the international and domestic level. Close attention is paid to the legal instruments and jurisprudence of international(ized) criminal justice bodies, human rights institutions and non-criminal jurisdictions to the extent useful for shedding further light on the issues at hand. Recourse is also made to various national systems, whenever relevant.

Traumatised Witnesses in International Criminal Trials

Traumatised Witnesses in International Criminal Trials
Author: Suzanne Schot
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 250
Release: 2024-02-13
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1003852467

This book focuses on the testimonial evidence of traumatised witnesses in trials of international crimes, which deal with acts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Such trials often involve the testimonies of those who experienced or witnessed extremely traumatic events, which can make it hard for these witnesses to recall specific details. Testifying during trial may in itself also pose challenges to their well-being. Yet the legal process of determining whether someone can be held criminally responsible for the alleged crimes needs to be fair, in accordance with the right to a fair trial of the accused, and the facts need to be determined as accurately as possible. This book argues that to ensure fair and accurate fact-finding when in particular traumatised witnesses testify, a balance needs to be struck between the needs of witnesses who testify about traumatic experiences, the fair trial rights of the accused and the objective of the court to establish as accurately as possible the responsibility of the accused. This is crucial throughout the stages of selecting, preparing, presenting and assessing the testimonial evidence of traumatised witnesses. The methodology involves an analysis of transcripts of proceedings and case law of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Court and Dutch courts prosecuting international crimes. The research demonstrates that it is often difficult to strike a balance between the competing objectives during proceedings when traumatised witnesses testify due to the current lack of regulations and guidelines applicable during investigations and prosecutions. This book shows that this balance can, and should, be achieved when traumatised witnesses testify during criminal proceedings for international crimes. The work is an invaluable resource for researchers, academics and practitioners in criminal law, criminology, legal psychology, legal psychiatry, social anthropology and forensic sciences.

Principles of Evidence in International Criminal Justice

Principles of Evidence in International Criminal Justice
Author: Karim A. A. Khan
Publisher:
Total Pages: 876
Release: 2010
Genre: Law
ISBN: 0199588929

Principles of Evidence in International Criminal Justice provides an overview of the procedure and practice concerning the admission and evaluation of evidence before the international criminal tribunals. The book is both descriptive and critical and its emphasis is on day-to-day practice, drawing on the experience of the Yugoslavia, Rwanda and Sierra Leone Tribunals. This book is an attempt to define and explain the core principles and rules that have developed at those ad hoc Tribunals; the rationale and origin of those rules; and to assess the suitability of those rules in the particular context of the International Criminal Court which is still at its early stages. The ICC differs in structure from the ad hoc Tribunals and approaches the legal issues it has to resolve differently from its predecessors. The ICC is however confronted with many of the same questions. The book examines the differences between the ad hoc Tribunals and the ICC and seeks to offer insights as to how and in which circumstances the principles established over years of practice at the ICTY, ICTR and SCSL may serve as guidance to the ICC practitioners of today and the future. The contributors represent a cross-section of the practicing international criminal bar, drawn from the ranks of the Bench, the Prosecution and the Defence and bringing with them different legal domestic cultures. Their mixed background underlines the recurring theme in this book which is the manner in which a legal culture has gradually taken shape in the international Tribunals, drawing on the various traditions and experiences of its participants.

Digital Witness

Digital Witness
Author: Sam Dubberley
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 385
Release: 2020
Genre: Law
ISBN: 0198836066

This book covers the developing field of open source research and discusses how to use social media, satellite imagery, big data analytics, and user-generated content to strengthen human rights research and investigations. The topics are presented in an accessible format through extensive use of images and data visualization (éditeur).

The Oxford Handbook of International Criminal Law

The Oxford Handbook of International Criminal Law
Author: Darryl Robinson
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 896
Release: 2020-02-24
Genre: Law
ISBN: 0192558889

In the past twenty years, international criminal law has become one of the main areas of international legal scholarship and practice. Most textbooks in the field describe the evolution of international criminal tribunals, the elements of the core international crimes, the applicable modes of liability and defences, and the role of states in prosecuting international crimes. The Oxford Handbook of International Criminal Law, however, takes a theoretically informed and refreshingly critical look at the most controversial issues in international criminal law, challenging prevailing practices, orthodoxies, and received wisdoms. Some of the contributions to the Handbook come from scholars within the field, but many come from outside of international criminal law, or indeed from outside law itself. The chapters are grounded in history, geography, philosophy, and international relations. The result is a Handbook that expands the discipline and should fundamentally alter how international criminal law is understood.