Legal Process as a Tool to Rewrite History – Law, Politics and History – Gresham College Lecture

Posted February 14th, 2013 in international courts, international relations, news, war, war crimes by sally

“Trials at the ICTY concerned political violence and criminality that resulted from disintegration of a federation from which seven new successors states were formed. That process has been defined as a ‘clash of state projects’, where violence happened in areas claimed by two or more parties, or an aspiring state. The war crimes trials at the ICTY that resulted from overlapping territorial claims in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo produced a huge record of trial evidence. Problems in the very small state of Kosovo may be seen as the beginning of the violent process of disintegration, now known loosely as the Balkan wars of the 1990s. The conflict in Kosovo of 1998-9 may be seen as the end of those wars. Kosovo now seeks global recognition as an independent state but faces opposition both as to its international legal entitlements and as to how its history in the conflict should be viewed.”

Transcript

Lecture by Professor Sir Geoffrey Nice QC

Gresham College, 13th February 2013

Source: www.gresham.ac.uk

The end of Slobodan Milošević – Gresham College Lecture

“Slobodan Milošević died a few months before the end of his trial.  There were no closing arguments and there was no judgment by the judges of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia – the ICTY. Sir Geoffrey Nice had been preparing closing arguments as the case proceeded and will explain what some of them were.”

Transcript

Lecture by Sir Geoffrey Nice

Gresham College, 2nd October 2012

Source: www.gresham.ac.uk

International Criminal Tribunals: Experiments? Works in progress? Institutions that are here for good, or maybe not? – Gresham College Lecture

Posted September 13th, 2012 in crime, international courts, jurisdiction, lectures by sally

“In the last twenty years several international courts have been established to try crimes committed in armed conflicts. Public expectation of what these courts may achieve is high; but are the courts living up to that expectation? Is the public expectation realistic and part of a liberal tradition; may it be seen as ‘judicial romantic’, according to courts capabilities they can never have? Are the courts always bound to be tainted by political influence that makes it probable they will ultimately fail? What sense can be made of the permanent International Criminal Court – the ICC – when Russia, China and the USA decline to accept its jurisdiction for their own citizens but can, as permanent members of the Security Council of the UN, refer individuals from other non-member states to the ICC for trial? And would it matter if the ICC failed? Has enough already been done to chart a way ahead that will allow the law a proper role in the service of countries, or communities in countries, at war? In any event, are war crimes trials the best partner of politics in the search for peace? Are there times when it may be better to let history go in the interests of a better safer future? This is a part of Sir Geoffrey Nice’s 2012/13 series of lectures as Gresham Professor of Law.”

Transcript

Lecture by Sir Geoffrey Nice

Gresham College, 12th September 2012

Source: www.gresham.ac.uk

Britain looking at filter system for Europe’s human rights court – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 21st, 2011 in human rights, international courts, news, Supreme Court by sally

“The Justice Secretary said officials were working on a joint proposal with the Swiss that would ‘pave the way’ on what claims would be allowed to go to Strasbourg.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 21st December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

System for appointing judges ‘undermining international courts’ – The Guardian

Posted September 9th, 2010 in international courts, judiciary, news by sally

“A ‘toxic’ system for appointing the world’s most senior judges is fundamentally undermining the legitimacy of international courts, a new study claims.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th September 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

British lawyer wins seat on world court – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 7th, 2008 in international courts, judges, news by sally

“A QC who challenged General Pinochet’s immunity and advised on legal issues arising from the Iraq conflict has been elected to the International Court of Justice.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 7th November 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

International Tribunals (Sierra Leone) Act 2007

Posted June 22nd, 2007 in international courts, legislation, Sierra Leone by sally

International Tribunals (Sierra Leone) Act 2007 published.

Full text of Act (PDF)

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk