14 April 2015 | CIL Seminar Series
Contemporary Challenges in International Criminal Justice
Introduction
The last two decades have witnessed the rapid emergence of international criminal justice. After 40 years of inaction following the Nuremberg-era trials, international tribunals have now been established to address crimes committed during conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Cambodia. This revolution in international law culminated in the creation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a permanent international tribunal for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression. At the same time, contemporary armed conflicts present a number of significant challenges for international justice, from difficulties investigating crimes in conflict zones and arresting fugitives from justice, to the absence of accountability mechanisms for some of the most violent conflicts. Prosecutor Serge Brammertz of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia shared his perspective on contemporary successes and challenges in international criminal justice, exploring how lessons from the past two decades can shed light on solutions to challenges today.
About the Speaker
Dr Serge Brammertz has served for more than a decade in senior positions charged with investigating and prosecuting grave international crimes. He has been Chief Prosecutor of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia since January 2008. From January 2006 to December 2007, he was the Commissioner of the United Nations International Independent Investigation Commission into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. In September 2003, he was the first Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, where he initiated the first ICC investigations in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Darfur.
Prior to his international appointments, Dr Brammertz served as a national magistrate and then the head of Federal Prosecution for the Kingdom of Belgium. In these roles, he supervised numerous investigations and trials relating to cases of organised crime, terrorism, international drug trafficking, human trafficking and violations of international humanitarian law.
Dr Brammertz has published and lectured widely on the investigation and prosecution of complex crimes, European and international police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters, international humanitarian law, organised crime, terrorism and judicial capacity building.
