From Nuremberg to The Haag Von Nürnberg nach Den Haag Internationalized Courts – Prospects and Challenges | From Nuremberg to The Hague

Internationalized Courts – Prospects and Challenges

Timor Leste

The work of the Special Panels for Serious Crimes in the District Court of Dili, established by a 1999 UN Security Council Resolution, was completed in 2005.

Kosovo

After the de-facto separation of Kosovo from Serbia in 1999, as a consequence of NATO bombings, the UN Security Council established, by Resolution 1244, a UN administration for Kosovo. In 2000 this entity created “Regulation 64” Panels in the Courts of Kosovo, mixed chambers at the local courts, consisting of two international and one national judge.

Sierra Leone

The “Special Court for Sierra Leone” in Freetown was established as the result of an international agreement between the UN and the Government of Sierra Leone (2000). The Court opened cases against 13 defendants, ten trials could be completed. In 2013 the SCSL ended its operations, its continuing legal obligations are overseen by a Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone.

Cambodia

On the basis of an 2003 agreement between the UN and the Cambodian government the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia for the Prosecution of Crimes Committed during the Period of Democratic Kampuchea were established in Pnom Penh. The ECCC is currently handling four cases.

Bosnia-Herzegowina

In accordance with a decision of the parliament of Bosnia-Herzegowina, Special War Crimes Chambers were established in 2005 at the courts of Bosnia-Herzegovina. They consist of two international and one national judge.

Lebanon

On request of the Lebanese government the UN Security Council established in 2007 the Special Tribunal for Lebanon to investigate the February 2005 attack resulting in the death of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and in the death or injury of 22 additional people. The Hague based tribunal began its work in 2009. In June 2011 it issued arrest warrants against four suspected persons. The first trial opened in January 2014.

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