Judging War Criminals : The Politics of International Justice

In June 1998, diplomats met in Rome to draft the Statute of an International Criminal Court. Based on the precedents of the Nuremberg and Tokyo Tribunals and of the War Crimes Tribunals for Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the new Court will judge individuals, not States. Unpunished mass slaughters have occurred in many countries. National justice is often ineffective. Truth and reconciliation commissions complement but do not replace justice. International 'Peoples' Tribunals have no international legitimacy. It is hoped that a permanent, international criminal court may combat impunity and deter more crimes.

following A Review Of International Humanitarian And Criminal Law And A Description Of Many Unpunished Massacres Or Genocides, This Book Opens Up Perspectives Of Remedy Through National Justice, Truth And Reconciliation Commissions And Mainly International Criminal Justice.

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beidgbeder Was Legal Secretary To The French Judge During The Nuremberg Tribunals In 1946 And Has Worked Since Then In International Organizations. He Looks At The June 1998 United Nations Establishment Of A Permanent International Criminal Court To Judge Individuals, Rather Than States, For War Crimes In Terms Of Its Only Historical Precedents, The Nuremberg And Tokyo Tribunals And The Temporary Tribunals Set Up Recently To Deal With Yugoslavia And Rwanda. He Argues That Such A Permanent, International, Criminal Court Is Necessary To Punish And Deter War Crimes. Annotation C. Book News, Inc., Portland, Or (booknew.com)

"In June 1998 diplomats from all countries belonging to the United Nations met in Rome to draft the statute of a permanent International Criminal Court - a daring innovation. The future Court will judge individuals, not states, for grave violations of international humanitarian law.". "Genocides and mass slaughters have occurred in many other countries and have remained unpunished. National courts are notoriously weak in sanctioning their own nationals. Truth and reconciliation commissions complement but do not replace justice. Hence, this book argues, the need for a permanent, international criminal court, with the hope that its creation may combat impunity and deter more crimes."--BOOK JACKET. Front Matter....Pages i-xvii Humanitarian Law: From Normative Thrust to Criminal Enforcement....Pages 1-26 The Nuremberg Precedent....Pages 27-49 The Tokyo Trial....Pages 50-75 The Hidden, Denied and Unpunished Mass Crimes....Pages 76-103 Truth and Reconciliation....Pages 104-124 Impunity, National Justice and Foreign Courts....Pages 125-136 International Peoples’ Tribunals....Pages 137-145 The International Tribunal for Crimes in the Former Yugoslavia....Pages 146-168 The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda....Pages 169-185 The Slow Birth of an International Criminal Court....Pages 186-199 International Justice and Politics....Pages 200-204 Back Matter....Pages 205-230 Following a review of international humanitarian and criminal law and a description of many unpunished massacres or genocides, this book opens up perspectives of remedy through national justice truth and reconciliation commissions, and mainly international criminal justice. In June 1998, diplomats from all United Nations countries met in Rome to draft the Statute of a permanent International Criminal Court, a daring innovation. Based on the precedents of the Nuremberg and Tokyo Tribunals and the War Crimes Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the new Court will judge individuals, not states, for grave violations of international humanitarian law.