This course aims to provide an overview of international criminal law proceedings and an introduction to sources and methods of research in the field of international criminal law.
In particular, the course should develop or improve the following skills:
- Knowledge of substantive and procedural rules of international criminal law.
- Legal research on issues of international criminal law.
- Interpretation and analysis of the contemporary practice of international criminal law as applied by international courts and tribunals, in particular the ICTY and ICTR.
- Advocay skills (ability to present legal arguments, and respond to the same, through oral submissions in court, and to lead witnesses in court).
- Writing skills (ability to present legal analysis in writing, to draft legal arguments, citing to relevant jurisprudence and authorities, to draw conclusions and give recommendations in writing).
At the end of the course, the student should be able to:
- Understand the substantive and procedural rules of international criminal law.
- Interpret and analyse the jurisprudence of international criminal courts and tribunals, in particular the ICTY and the ICTR.
- Perform legal research and apply principles and rules studied to concrete cases.
- Present solutions for legal problems in a structured way, both in written form and through oral submissions.
- Present sound and convincing legal arguments and defend these arguments in a legal debate.
This course aims to provide an overview of international criminal law proceedings and an introduction to sources and methods of research in the field of international criminal law. The focus is on the proceedings of ad hoc Tribunals (ICTY and ICTR) and on specific areas of their work.
Introductory lectures will be given on:
- International criminal law (general principles).
- International criminal law proceedings, in particular at the ad hoc Tribunals (principles and rules of procedure and evidence).
- Students will be then asked to work on practical assignments (law clinics).
Students will be asked to deliver written assignments on the topics of the law clinics, as well as to present oral arguments in class (moot court competition style).
