Importing Core International Crimes into National Criminal Law

The seminar was held on 27 October 2006.

Invitation | Programme | Speakers | Bagaragaza Appeals Chamber Decision | Amicus Curiae Brief by Norway | Domestic legislation implementing the Rome Statute | New Penal Code (Norway): Criminal Law Commission's Partial Investigation VII | Introduction to the Netherlands' International Crimes Act | German Code of Crimes against International Law

States are obliged under treaties such as the Genocide Convention, the Geneva Conventions and the Torture Convention to enact legislation which gives effect in national criminal law to prohibitions in the treaties. The law and practice of international criminal jurisdictions provide that it is significant whether national prosecutions for conduct amounting to genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes can use the characterization of international crimes and not just ordinary crimes (such as murder). Several states have already imported these international crimes into national criminal law, for example Canada and Germany. This seminar focussed on particular challenges in the process of importing such crimes into national law.