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I. The Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 January 2008

Colin Warbrick ,
Dominic McGoldrick ,
Christine Byron  and
David Turns
David Turns
Affiliation:
International & European Law Unit, School of Law, University of Liverpool.
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Extract

The Preparatory Commission (PrepCom) was established by Resolution F of the Final Act of the United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court (ICC). Under this resolution the PrepCom is intended to “take all possible measures to ensure the coming into operation of the International Criminal Court without undue delay”, and “to make the necessary arrangements for the commencement of [the Court's] functions”.1

Type
Current Developments: Public International Law
Information
International & Comparative Law Quarterly , Volume 50 , Issue 2 , April 2001 , pp. 420 - 435
Copyright
Copyright © British Institute of International and Comparative Law 2001

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References

1. U.N. Doc. A/CONF.183/10, Resolution F.

2. The timetable for the RPE and EOC required that their draft texts be completed before 30 June 2000, ibid., para. 6.

3. Ibid., para. 5.

4. Ibid., para. 7.

5. Supra n.1, para. 2.

6. G.A. Resolution 53/105, 26 Jan. 1999, para. 6.

7. PCNICC/1999/WGEC/RT.1, reprinted in PCNICC/1999/L.3/Rev.1, 2 March 1999, pp.20–21.

8. PCNICC/2000/L.1/Rev.1/Add.2, 7 April 2000, pp.6–8.

9. PCNICC/2000/INF/3/Add.2, 6 July 2000, pp.6–8, now reissued unchanged in the English version as PCNICC/2000/1/Add.2.

10. Ibid.

11. PCNICC/1999/WGEC/RT.1, reprinted in PCNICC/1999/L.3/Rev.1, 2 March 1999, pp.20–21. See also Dörmann, K., ‘The First and Second Sessions of the Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court’, 2 YIHL (1999) 283–306, p.286.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

12. Supra n.8, pp.6–8.

13. Ibid., p.6.

14. PCNICC/1999/WGEC/RT.3, reprinted in PCNICC/1999/L.3/Rev.1, 2 March 1999, p.23.

15. Ibid This confirms the finding of the Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in the case of The Prosecutor v. Akayesu, where it stated that “rape and sexual violence … constitute genocide in the same way as any other act”, Judgment, 2 Sept. 1998, Case No. ICTR-96–4-T, para. 731.

16. Women's Caucus for Gender Justice, ‘Genocide: Sexual Violence as Acts of Genocide’, submitted to the 16–26 Feb. 1999 Preparatory Commission, available at: http://www.iccwomen.org/icc/pc199902/genocide.htm.

17. Supra n.8, p.6 footnote 2, p.7 footnote 3 and p.8 footnote 4.

18. Supra n.9, p.6. Compare Drost, P., Genocide (1959, Sythoff, A. W., Leyden), p.85Google Scholar who believes that one murder may suffice for genocide, with Kuper, L., Genocide: Its Political use in the Twentieth Century (1982, Yale University Press, New Haven), p.32Google Scholar, who assumes that there must be an “‘appreciable’ number of victims”.

19. PCNICC/1999/WGEC/RT.1, reprinted in PCNICC/1999/L.3/Rev.1, 2 March 1999, p.21.

20. Supra n.9, p.8.

21. PCNICC/1999/L.5/Rev.1/Add.2, 22 Dec. 1999, pp.8–15.

22. Supra n.9, pp.9–17.

23. Supra n.21, p.8, and supra n.9, p.9.

24. See discussion of the chapeau to the Elements of crimes against humanity in Human Rights Watch Commentary to the Third Preparatory Meeting on the ICC, available at CICC website: http://www.igc.apc.org/icc/html/n.g.o..html Also see statements on this by Côte d'Ivoire, PCNICC/2000/INF/4, 13 July 2000, p.1.

25. Article 7(2)(a), Rome Statute.

26. Supra n.9, p.9.

27. Ibid, footnote 6. However, this footnote also states that “the existence of such a policy cannot be inferred solely from the absence of governmental or organizational action”.

28. Supra n.21, p.11, see footnote 13. See forward EOC of war crimes for a discussion of the Elements of these offences.

29. Supra n.9, p.12.

30. Supra n.21, p.13.

31. Supra n.9, p.15, emphasis added.

32. Compare supra n.21, p.14 with supra n.9, pp.15–16.

33. Supra n.9, pp.15–16.

34. Ibid

35. Ibid

36. Ibid

37. Ibid

38. PCNICC/1999/WGEC/RT.2, reprinted in PCNICC/1999/L.3/Rev.1, 2 March 1999, pp.21–23 and PCNICC/1999/WGEC/RT.4, reprinted in PCNICC/1999/L.4/Rev.1, 18 Aug. 1999, pp.66–68.

39. Supra n.9, pp.18–23.

40. Supra n.8, pp.15–21. Such a statement is essential, as otherwise an unacceptable loophole would be available to defendants from conflicts of an uncertain nature, such as that of the former Yugoslavia. This addition was maintained in the Finalized Draft Text of the EOC, supra n.9, pp.18–23.

41. PCNICC/1999/WGEC/RT.2, reprinted in PCNICC/1999/L.3/Rev.1, 2 March 1999, pp.21–23; PCNICC/1999/WGEC/RT.4, reprinted in PCNICC/1999/L.4/Rev.1, 18 Aug. 1999, pp.66–68 and supra n.9, pp.18–23. This requirement for knowledge on the part of the accused of the factual circumstances establishing the protected status of a victim is modified by a footnote in the Finalized Draft Text of the EOC which states that “[w]ith respect to nationality, it is understood that the perpetrator needs only to know that the victim belonged to an adverse party to the conflict”, supra n.9, p.18, footnote 33.

42. Although this is not stated expressly in Article 8(2)(a), it is the clear meaning of the text as a whole, as is demonstrated by the expression “[o]ther serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in international armed conflict”, used in Article 8(2)(b). This is consistent with the approach of the majority in The Prosecutor v. Tadic, Decision on the Defence Motion for Interlocutory Appeal on Jurisdiction, 2 Oct. 1995, Case No. IT-94–1-AR72, paras.80–84.

43. Supra n.9, p.19. (This definition was altered somewhat from that proposed at the First PrepCom, see PCNICC/1999/WGEC/RT.2, reprinted in PCNICC/1999/L.3/Rev.1, 2 March 1999, p.22.)

44. Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 1984, Art.1(1)

45. The Prosecutor v. Furundzija, Trial Chamber Judgment, 10 Dec. 1998, Case No.IT-95–17/1-T, para. 162.

46. Supra n.9, p.20. (This Element has not changed significantly since the First PrepCom, see PCNICC/1999/WGEC/RT.2, reprinted in PCNICC/1999/L.3/Rev.1, 2 March 1999, p.23.)

47. von Hebel, H. and Robinson, D., ‘Crimes within the Jurisdiction of the Court’, pp.79–126, Chapter 2Google Scholar, in Lee, R. (ed.), The International Criminal Court: The Making of the Rome Statute, Issues, Negotiations, Results (1999, Kluwer Law International, The Hague), pp.108–109.Google Scholar

48. Supra n.9, p.21. This Element has not changed in substance since it was proposed in the Second PrepCom, see PCNICC/1999/WGEC/RT.4, reprinted in PCNICC/1999/L.4/Rev.1, 18 Aug. 1999, p.67.

49. Article 84, Third Geneva Convention, 1949.

50. Dörmann, K., ‘Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court: the Elements of War Crimes’, 839 IRRC (2000) 771–795.Google Scholar

51. Supra n.9, pp.23–37. These Elements are also common to the grave breach war crimes.

52. See comments on the 2nd PrepCom on the UN website available at: http://www.un.org/law/icc/prepcomm/prepjul.htm (There were in fact nine clusters in all, but one of them was Art. 8(2)(c).)

53. This includes Art.8(2)(b)(x), (xxi) and (xxii).

54. This includes Art.8(2)(b)(viii), (xiii) and (xvi).

55. This includes Art.8(2)(b)(xiv), (xv) and (xxvi).

56. Art.8(2)(b)(xxii), Rome Statute.

57. Available from their website: http://www.iccwomen.org/icc/.

58. Supra n.9, p.34.

59. See The Prosecutor v. Akayesu, Trial Chamber Judgment, 2 Sep. 1998, Case No.ICTR-96–4-T, para. 688 and The Prosecutor v. Furundzija, supra. n.45, para. 185.

60. Art.8(2)(b)(viii), Rome Statute.

61. PCNICC/1999/WGEC/INF.3 reprinted in PCNICC/1999/L.4.Rev.1, 18 Aug. 1999, pp.78–80.

62. Supra n.9, p.28.

63. Israel signed the Rome Statute on 31 Dec. 2000.

64. This includes Art.8(2)(b)(vi), (vii), (xi) and (xii).

65. PCNICC/1999/WGEC/RT.10 reprinted in PCNICC/1999/L.4/Rev.1, 18 Aug. 1999, pp.76–77 at p.77.

66. Supra n.9, p.30.

67. This includes Arts.8(2)(b)(i), (ii) and (iii).

68. This includes Arts.8(2)(b)(iv), (v), (ix) and (xxiv).

69. This includes Arts.8(2)(b)(xxiii) and (xxv).

70. Supra n.21, p.20.

71. This footnote was initially adopted in the Fourth PrepCom, PCNICC/2000/L.1/Rev.1/Add.2, 7 April 2000, p.22, footnote 42.

72. Supra n.9, pp.24–25, footnote 36.

73. This includes Arts.8(2)(b)(xvii), (xviii), (xix) and (xx).

74. Article 8(2)(b)(xx).

75. These will be considered and adopted in accordance with Arts. 121 and 123 of the Rome Statute, seven years after the coming into force of the Statute.

76. Supra n.9, pp.37–41. These Elements are also common to Art.8(2)(e).

77. Ibid

78. The Prosecutor v. Tadic, Decision on the Defence Motion for Interlocutory Appeal on Jurisdiction, Appeal Chamber, 2 Oct. 1995, Case No.IT-94–1-AR72, para. 70. The ICC may also refer to the stricter definition of a non-international armed conflict laid down in Art. 1, 1977 Additional Protocol II.

79. Compare PCNICC/1999/WGEC/RT.5/Rev.1 reprinted in PCNICC/1999/L.4/Rev.1, 18 Aug. 1999, pp.68–70, with supra n.9, pp.37–41.

80. See the Elements for Art. 8(2)(b)(x) of the Rome Statute, PCNICC/2000/INF/3/Add.2, 6 July 2000, p.29.

81. Supra n.9, p.40.

82. Ibid

83. Ibid, p.46

84. Ibid

85. PCNICC/1999/WGCA/RT.1 reprinted in PCNICC/1999/L.5/Rev.1, 22 Dec. 1999, pp.26–30.

86. PCNICC/2000/L.4/Rev.1, 14 Dec. 2000, pp.13–17. See also UN Press Release L/2967, 1 Dec. 2000.

87. Judge McDonald, Address to ICC PrepCom: ICTY Press Release JL/P.I.S./425–E, 30 July 1999. See also remarks by Judge May: ICTY Press Release JL/P.I.S./479–E, 20 March 2000.

88. Along with the Elements of Crimes and the Statute itself, the RPE are specified as applicable law to be utilised by the ICC “[i]n the first place”: ICC Statute, Art. 21(1)(a). See the ICTY's Rules of Procedure and Evidence: UN Doc. IT/32/Rev.18 (2000).

89. Human Rights Watch: Commentary to the Preparatory Commission Rules of Evidence and Procedure [sic] for the International Criminal Court (Part 1, Feb. 1999), available on the Internet at http://www.iccnow.org/.

90. Eventually issued as UN Doc. PCNICC/2000/1/Add.1.

91. Chapter 2, Rules 4–43. Chapter 1 contains general provisions relating to definitions, authentic texts and amendments.

92. Chapter 3, Rules 44–62.

93. Chapter 4, Rules 63–103. The matters covered in this Chapter include evidentiary concerns, disclosure, victims and witnesses.

94. Chapter 5, Rules 104–130.

95. Chapter 6, Rules 131–144.

96. Chapter 7, Rules 145–148.

97. Chapter 8, Rules 149–161.

98. Chapter 9, Rules 162–172.

99. Chapter 10, Rules 173–175.

100. Chapter 11, Rules 176–197.

101. Chapter 12, Rules 198–225.

102. ICTY Press Release JL/P.I.S./425-E, 30 July 1999. In the alternative, Judge McDonald suggested the establishment of an “advisory committee of judges, with experience in international criminal justice, to review the Rules and provide appropriate advice prior to the adoption of the Rules”—this recommendation, too, was ignored by the PrepCom delegates.

103. Witness protection has been a major issue for the ICTY in particular, as many prosecution witnesses have been placed in fear of or actually subjected to intimidation, targeting either themselves or their families, in the often small communities in the former Yugoslavia from which they or the accused come: see Leigh, M., “The Yugoslav Tribunal: Use of Unnamed Witnesses Against Accused” (1996) 90 A.J.I.L. 235Google Scholar; Hampson, F., “The International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia and the Reluctant Witness” (1998) 47 I.C.L.Q. 50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

104. Human Rights Watch Commentary, supra n.89, p.1.

105. UN Doc. PCNICC/1999/DP.1.

106. UN Doc. PCNICC/1999/DP.43.

107. Available on the Internet at http://www.igc.org/icc/html/aba.htm.

108. Draft Rule 54.1 of the French proposal read, “In any event, the Prosecutor may, before initiating an investigation or referring a case to the Pre-Trial Chamber under article 15, request the Pre-Trial Chamber for a ruling regarding a question of admissibility or jurisdiction in accordance with the provisions of article 19, paragraph 3 … ”: UN Doc. PCNICC/1999/DP.6.

109. See Coalition for an International Criminal Court, [4th] Preparatory Commission Report (1999, available on the Internet at http://www.igc.apc.org/icc/html/cicc200003.htm).

110. RPE, Rule 58.2.

111. Supra n.87.

112. RPE, Rule 51.

113. Ibid, Rule 44.2.

114. Ibid, Rules 89–93.

115. Ibid, Rules 94–99.

116. See Askin, K., “Sexual Violence in Decisions and Indictments of the Yugoslav and Rwandan Tribunals: Current Status” (1999) 93 A.J.I.L. 97.Google Scholar

117. RPE, Rules 70 and 71.

118. ICTY Press Release JL/P.I.S./479-E, 20 March 2000.

119. UN Doc. IT/125 (1997).

120. Rule 200 of the RPE provides for the establishment and maintenance, by the Registrar, of a list of States that have indicated their willingness to accept persons sentenced by the ICC. Part IV of the International Criminal Court Bill introduced into the House of Lords on 14 Dec. 2000 makes provision for the UK to accept such prisoners.

121. UN Doc. PCNICC/2000/WGFIRR/L.1.

122. UN Doc. PCNICC/2000/WGICC-UN/L.1.

123. UN Doc. PCNICC/2000/WGAPIC/L.1.

124. UN Doc. SPLOS/36 (8 Oct. 1998).

125. See supra n.121, “Introductory note”, paras.2–4.

126. Relationship Agreement, Art.4.

127. Ibid, Art.5.

128. Ibid, Art.7. The war crimes in question are defined in Art.8(2)(b)(iii) and (vii) of the Rome Statute.

129. Ibid, Art.8. Such persons are normally covered by the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations (1 U.N.T.S. 15); however, Art.27(2) of the Rome Statute provides that, “Immunities or special procedural rules which may attach to the official capacity of a person, whether under national or international law, shall not bar the Court from exercising its jurisdiction over such a person”.

130. See the Preamble to the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (500 U.N.T.S. 95).

131. Agreement on Privileges and Immunities, Art.6.

132. Ibid, Art.7.

133. Ibid, Art.8.

134. Ibid, Art.11.

135. Ibid, Art.13.

136. Ibid, Art.14.

137. Ibid, Art.15.

138. Ibid, Art.16.

139. Ibid, Art.17.

140. Ibid, Art.19.