Complementarity and the Exercise of Universal Jurisdiction for Core International Crimes

Download or read book Complementarity and the Exercise of Universal Jurisdiction for Core International Crimes written by Morten Bergsmo and published by Torkel Opsahl Academic EPublisher. This book was released on 2010-08-01 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book concerns the relationship between the principles of complementarity and universal jurisdiction. Territorial States are normally affected most strongly by core international crimes committed during a conflict or an attack directed against its civilian population. Most victims reside in such States. Most damaged or plundered property is there. Public order and security are violated most severely in the territorial States. It is also on their territory that most of the evidence of the alleged crimes can be found. There are, in other words, obvious policy and practical reasons why States should accord priority to territoriality as a basis of jurisdiction. But is there also an obligation for States to defer exercise of universal jurisdiction of core international crimes to investigation and prosecution of the same crimes by the territorial State? What - if any - is the impact of the principle of complementarity in this respect? These are among the questions discussed in this anthology.