The International Criminal The International Criminal Court:Court:

Challenges for the FutureChallenges for the Future

Steven FreelandSteven FreelandUniversity of Western Sydney University of Western Sydney

University of CopenhagenUniversity of CopenhagenVisiting Professional, The International Criminal CourtVisiting Professional, The International Criminal Court

International Criminal LawInternational Criminal Law

• Accountability for crimes that ‘shock the conscience of the world’ Accountability for crimes that ‘shock the conscience of the world’ • gross violations of human rightsgross violations of human rights• but …. need for specific definitionbut …. need for specific definition

• Crimes within mandate of the International Criminal Court:Crimes within mandate of the International Criminal Court:

• GenocideGenocide• intention to destroy all or part of a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as intention to destroy all or part of a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as

suchsuch

• Crimes Against HumanityCrimes Against Humanity• widespread or systematic attack on any civilian populationwidespread or systematic attack on any civilian population

• War Crimes War Crimes • breach of Geneva Conventions / laws and customs of armed conflictbreach of Geneva Conventions / laws and customs of armed conflict

• (Aggression) – to be defined(Aggression) – to be defined

• Other Crimes?Other Crimes?

Dealing with International CrimesDealing with International Crimes

• International Military TribunalsInternational Military Tribunals• Nuremberg / TokyoNuremberg / Tokyo

• Ad Hoc Tribunals established by United Nations Ad Hoc Tribunals established by United Nations Security Council Security Council

• ICTY / ICTRICTY / ICTR

• ‘‘Hybrid’ / ‘Internationalized’ Courts established by Hybrid’ / ‘Internationalized’ Courts established by Agreement between the UN and the relevant country Agreement between the UN and the relevant country

• Sierra Leone / Cambodia / East Timor / LebanonSierra Leone / Cambodia / East Timor / Lebanon

• Permanent Court established by Treaty Permanent Court established by Treaty • International Criminal CourtInternational Criminal Court

Dealing with International CrimesDealing with International Crimes(continued)(continued)

• Regional Human Rights Courts Regional Human Rights Courts • ECHR / ACHR / IACHRECHR / ACHR / IACHR

• National Courts National Courts • Iraqi Special Tribunal / Indonesian Human Rights Court / Lockerbie / Iraqi Special Tribunal / Indonesian Human Rights Court / Lockerbie /

Eichmann / PinochetEichmann / Pinochet

• Local ‘Courts’ Local ‘Courts’ • Gacaca community justice (Rwanda)Gacaca community justice (Rwanda)

• (Truth and) Reconciliation Commissions (Truth and) Reconciliation Commissions • South Africa / Sierra Leone / Bosnia / Latin American CountriesSouth Africa / Sierra Leone / Bosnia / Latin American Countries

• Amnesties / Nothing – Peace v Justice dilemma Amnesties / Nothing – Peace v Justice dilemma • Haiti / Uganda (Idi Amin) / Uganda (LRA)? / Darfur?Haiti / Uganda (Idi Amin) / Uganda (LRA)? / Darfur?

The ICC - (current) Cases and SituationsThe ICC - (current) Cases and Situations• The Democratic Republic of CongoThe Democratic Republic of Congo

• The Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo The Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo • The Prosecutor v. Bosco NtagandaThe Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda • The Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo ChuiThe Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui

• The Republic of UgandaThe Republic of Uganda • The Prosecutor v. Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, Okot Odhiambo and Dominic Ongwen  The Prosecutor v. Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, Okot Odhiambo and Dominic Ongwen  

• Darfur, Sudan Darfur, Sudan • The Prosecutor v. Ahmad Muhammad Harun (‘Ahmad Harun’) and Ali Muhammad Al Abd-Al-Rahman The Prosecutor v. Ahmad Muhammad Harun (‘Ahmad Harun’) and Ali Muhammad Al Abd-Al-Rahman

(‘Ali Kushayb’)  (‘Ali Kushayb’)  • (arrest warrant requested against Omar Hassan al-Bashir)(arrest warrant requested against Omar Hassan al-Bashir)

• The Central African RepublicThe Central African Republic• The Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo  The Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo  

• Cote d’IvoireCote d’Ivoire

• Other investigationsOther investigations

The International Criminal Court:The International Criminal Court:Challenges for the FutureChallenges for the Future

• Structural ChallengesStructural Challenges include: include:

• building a new institutionbuilding a new institution• lessons from the other international criminal lessons from the other international criminal

tribunalstribunals• harmonization of multicultural work practices and harmonization of multicultural work practices and

expectationsexpectations• demarcation of responsibilities within the divisions demarcation of responsibilities within the divisions

of the Courtof the Court• continuity of expertise and work practicescontinuity of expertise and work practices

The International Criminal Court:The International Criminal Court:Challenges for the FutureChallenges for the Future

• Legal ChallengesLegal Challenges include: include:

• the legality of the Courtthe legality of the Court• meaning / operation of ‘complementarity’meaning / operation of ‘complementarity’• ambiguities in the Legal Textsambiguities in the Legal Texts• case and trial managementcase and trial management• the rights of the accusedthe rights of the accused• resources of counsel for accusedresources of counsel for accused• the rights of victimsthe rights of victims• the status of the Victims’ Trust Fundthe status of the Victims’ Trust Fund• harmonization of legal principles (ICTY / ICJ, common law harmonization of legal principles (ICTY / ICJ, common law

/ civil law etc)/ civil law etc)

The International Criminal Court:The International Criminal Court:Challenges for the FutureChallenges for the Future

• Political ChallengesPolitical Challenges include: include:

• the need for cooperation by Statesthe need for cooperation by States• peace v justice concernspeace v justice concerns• the attitude of the major powersthe attitude of the major powers• relationship between Court and UNSCrelationship between Court and UNSC • Agreement on Privileges and ImmunitiesAgreement on Privileges and Immunities• Bilateral Immunity AgreementsBilateral Immunity Agreements• additional discrete crimes within the mandate of the additional discrete crimes within the mandate of the

CourtCourt

The International Criminal Court:The International Criminal Court:Challenges for the FutureChallenges for the Future

• Practical ChallengesPractical Challenges include: include:

• the obtaining of evidencethe obtaining of evidence

• how to execute arrest warrantshow to execute arrest warrants

• the need for accurate informationthe need for accurate information

The International Criminal Court:The International Criminal Court:Challenges for the FutureChallenges for the Future

• Financial ChallengesFinancial Challenges include: include:

• oversight by the ASPoversight by the ASP

• annual budgetsannual budgets

• ‘‘how much justice are we prepared to pay how much justice are we prepared to pay for?’for?’