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1 The Complementarity Regime of the International Criminal Court: International Criminal Justice between State Sovereignty and the Fight against Impunity Markus Benzing I. Introduction II. The Nature of the Principle of Complementarity 1. Admissibility v. Jurisdiction 2. The Rationale of Complementarity III. Article 17 Analysed: The Substance of the Principle 1. Article 17 (1)(a) a. Unwillingness aa. Article 17 (2)(a) bb. Article 17 (2)(b) cc. Article 17 (2)(c) b. Inability (Article 17 (3)) 2. Article 17 (1)(b) 3. Complementarity and ne bis in idem (Article 17 (1)(c)) 4. Gravity of the Offence (Article 17 (1)(d)) IV. The Procedural Framework 1. The Court as Arbiter over the Complementarity Regime 2. Duty of the Prosecutor to Inform States under Article Request by States to Defer Investigation 4. Complementarity and the Security Council 5. Burden and Standard of Proof 6. Waiver of Complementarity V. Conclusion A. von Bogdandy and R. Wolfrum (eds.), Max Planck Yearbook a/ United Nations Law, Volume 7, 2003, Koninklijke Brill N. V. Printed in the Netherlands.
2 592 Max Planck UNYB 7 (2003) I. Introduction The Preamble of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court' and article 1 refer to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an international institution that "shall be complementary to national criminal jurisdictions'v This complementary relationship between the ICC and national criminal jurisdictions means that, as opposed to the two ad hoc Tribunals.' the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) the ICC does not have primary jurisdiction over national authorities," but plays a subsidiary role and supplements the domestic investigation and prosecution of the most serious crimes of international concern.f The Court is only meant to act when domestic authorities fail to take the necessary steps in the investigation and prosecution of crimes enumerated under article 5 of the Statute. The Statute does not explicitly use or define the term "complementarity" as such; however, the term has been adopted by many negotiators of the Statute, and later on by commentators to refer to the entirety of norms governing the complementary relationship between the ICC and national jurisdictions." Preamble, para. 10 of the Rome Statute, reprinted in this Volume, see Annex. As to the negotiation history of the relevant norms, see S.A. Williams, "Article 17", in: O. Triffterer (ed.), Commentary on the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court: Observers' Notes, Article by Article, 1999, MN 1 et seq. Arts 9 (1) ICTY Statute and 8 (2) ICTR Statute. Including courts, investigating authorities, prosecution and international co-operation in criminal matters, d. I. Tallgren, "Completing the International Legal Order", Nord.]. Int'l L. 67 (1998), 107 et seq. (120). M.A. Newton, "Comparative Complementarity: Domestic Jurisdiction Consistent With the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court", Mil. L. Rev. 167 (2001), 20 et seq. (26). "Complementarity" in the present context is thus understood in a "narrow" sense and does not reflect the wider complementary relationship between the Court and states in that, even where the Court exercises its jurisdiction, it will have to rely on the co-operation of national states to investigate under Part 9 of the Statue: d. H. Duffy/ J. Huston, "Implementation of the ICC Statute: International Obligations and Constitutional Considerations", in: C. Kreii/ F. Lattanzi, The Rome Statute and Domestic Le-
3 Benzing, The Complementarity Regime of the ICC 593 Apart from the jurisdictional regime established by the Statute," the pr inciple of complementarity is the salient instrument to delineate the exercise of jurisdiction by the ICC from that of national authorities, including national courts," and as such may well prove to be one of the most contentious features of the Statute in its application. Bearing this in mind, it is clear why the principle of complementarity has been described as essential for the acceptance of the Statute by states", and is often referred to as the underlying principlel", the cornerstone'! of the Statute, or the key concept of the ICC, which permeates the entire structure and functioning of the Court.V It will require the Court's attention from a very early stage, given that the Prosecutor has to take into consideration the issue of complementarity as early as when he or she thinks about initiating an investigation'? and that, following this decision (and, in cases of poprio motu investigations, an authorisation by the Pre-Trial Chamber to proceed under article 15 (4)), article 18 provides for the possibility to institute preliminary proceedings regarding admissibility. gal Orders, Vol. 1 (General Aspects and Constitutional Issues), 2000, 29 et seq. 7 To this see the article of M. Wagner in this Volume. 8 Cf. Report of the Preparatory Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court, GAOR 51st Sess., Suppl. No. 22 (Doc. A/51122), para Cf. Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court, GAOR 50th Sess., Suppl. No. 22 (Doc. A/50122), para. 29; W. Bourdon/ E. Duverger, La Cour penale internationale: Le statut de Rome, 2000, J.I. Charney, "International Criminal Law and the Role of Domestic Prosecutions", A]IL 95 (2001), 120 et seq. (120). 11 E. La Haye, "The Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court: Controversies over the Preconditions for Exercising its Jurisdiction", NILR 46 (1999), 1 et seq. (8); B. Swart/ G. Sluiter, "The International Criminal Court and International Criminal Co-operation", in: H.A.M. von Hebel! J.G. Lammers/ J. Schukking (eds), Reflections on the International Criminal Court, 1999,91 et seq. (105). 12 M. Bergsmo, "Occasional Remarks on Certain State Concerns about the Jurisdictional Reach of the International Criminal Court, and Their Possible Implications for the Relationship between the Court and the Security Council", Nord. ]. Int'l L. 69 (2000), 87 et seq. (96); O. Solera, "Complementary jurisdiction and international criminal justice", Int'l Rev. of the Red Cross 84 (2002),145 et seq. (147). Article 53 (l)(b) and Rule 48 of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence. 13
4 594 Max Planck UNYB 7 (2003) The present article does not purport to describe conclusively the principle in all its substantive and procedural aspects, but rather seeks to contribute to the discussion on one of the most opalescent notions of the Statute. II. The Nature of the Principle of Complementarity 1. Admissibility v. Jurisdiction Article 17 establishes the substantive rules that constitute the principle of complementarity. The Statute defines the question of complementarity as pertaining to the admissibility of a case rather than to the jurisdiction of the Court. As is the case with other international judicial institutions, such as the IC] or human rights courts, the issues of admissibility and jurisdiction in the sense of competence in the pending case have to be distinguished, even though both concepts are closely related.!" The Court cannot exercise the jurisdiction that it has if a case is inadrnissible.p thus, the principle of complementarity does not affect the existence of jurisdiction of the Court as such, but regulates when this jurisdiction may be exercised by the Court-s, Article 17 thus functions as a barrier to the exercise of jurisdiction.v The Rules of Procedure and Evidence of the ICC recognise this by providing that the Court shall rule on any challenge to its jurisdiction first before dealing with matters of admissibility.l" 14 Cf. G. Fitzmaurice, The Law and Procedure ofthe International Court of Justice, Vol. 2, 1986, IS J. T. Holmes, "Complementarity: National Courts versus the ICC", in: A. Cassese! P. Gaeta! J.R.W.D. Jones (eds), The Rome Statute ofthe International Criminal Court: A Commentary, 2002, Vol. 1,667 et seq. (672). 16 J. Crawford, "The drafting of the Rome Statute", in: P. Sands (ed.), From Nuremberg to The Hague: The Future of International Criminal Justice, 2003,109 et seq. (147). Seen like this, the heading of article 12 of the Statute is strictly speaking a misnomer, since it does not concern the exercise of jurisdiction, but the existence of it. 17 Holmes, see note 15, Rule 58 (4): "The Court shall rule on any challenge or question of jurisdiction first and then on any challenge or question of admissibility".
5 Benzing, The Complementarity Regim e of the ICC The Rationale of Complementarity The Statute establishing the ICC is an international, multilateral treaty. According to article 31 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, provisions of a treaty shall be interpreted, inter alia, with regard to its object and purpose.'? In order to understand the principle of complementarity and to facilitate and structure the interpretation of the different provisions that define the concept substantively and procedurally, it seems pertinent to enquire about the rationale of complementarity./? The most apparent underlying interest that the complementarity regime of the Court is designed to protect and serve is the sovereignty both of State parties and third states.i! Under general international law, states have the right to exercise criminal jurisdiction over acts within their jurisdiction.f The exercise of criminal jurisdiction can indeed be said to be a central aspect of sovereignty itself The rules of interpretation codified in article 31 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties are also valid under customary international law: G. Dahm/J.DelbriickJ R. Wolfrum, VOlkerrecht, 2002, The following discussion relates mainly to article 17 (1)(a) and (b) and the procedural scaffolding relating to these subparas; article 17 (c) and (d) operate within a somewhat different purview (see under IV. 6.). In essence, it is these two factors that are normally referred to when the "principle of complementarity" and its theoretical background are analysed. 21 Bergsmo, see note 12, 99; R.E. Fife, "The International Criminal Court Whence It Came, Where It Goes ", Nord. j. Int'l L. 69 (2000), 63 et seq. (72). 22 D.D. Ntanda Nsereko, "The International Criminal Court: Jurisdictional and Related Issues", Criminal Law Forum 10 (1999), 87 et seq. (117); ICTY, Prosecutor v. Tadic, Decision on the Defence Motion for Interlocutory Appeal on Jurisdiction, 2 October 1995, Separate Opinion Judge Sidhwa, reprinted in: A. Klip/ G. Sluiter, Annotated Leading Cases of International Criminal Tribunals, Vol. 1 (The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia ), 97 et seq. (121, para. 83). This was also stressed during the negotiations leading to the adoption of the Statute: Report of the Preparatory Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court, see note 8, para Cf. 1. Brownlie, Principles of Public International Law, 5th edition, 1998, 289 and 303. See ibid. to the different bases on which states may exercise jurisdiction.
6 596 Max Planck UNYB 7 (2003) As distinct from the right of states to exercise criminal jurisdiction over crimes contained in the Statute, the Preamble refers to the duty of every state (not limited to States parties) to exercise its criminal jurisdiction over those responsible for international crimes.i" A purpose of the complementarity principle may thus be to ensure that states abide by that duty, either by prosecuting the alleged perpetrators themselves, or by providing for an international prosecution in case of their failure to do so. The declaratory wording of the Preamble may suggest that this duty precedes the coming into force of the Statute {"recalling that it is the duty").25 While such a duty unquestionably exists with regard to some international crimes.i" it is questionable whether it covers all crimes in their different facets under the Statute, especially as regards crimes against humanity." Be that as it may, it is clear that the principle of complementarity was designed to allow for the prosecution of such crimes at the international level where national systems are not doing what is necessary to avoid impunity and to deter a future commission of crimes. Moreover, and independent from the existence of a duty to prosecute, the complementarity regime is surely designed to encourage states to exercise their jurisdiction and thus make the system of international criminal law enforcement more effective.p Preamble, para. 6. Duffy! Huston, see note 6, 31. On this question see the article of A. Seibert-Fohr, in this Volume; A. Zimmermann, "Auf dem Weg zu einem deutschen Volkerstrafgesetzbuch Entstehung, volkerrechtlicher Rahmen und wesentliche Inhalte", ZRP 35 (2002), 97 et seq. (98); M.P. Scharf, "The Amnesty Exception to the Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court", Cornell Int'l L. j. 32 (1999), 507 et seq. (514 et seq.);j. Dugard, "Possible Conflicts of Jurisdiction with Truth Commissions", in: Cassese! Gaeta! Jones, see note 15, 693 et seq. (698) who concludes that international law is moving towards a duty to prosecute. The Preamble may indeed recognise this by using the term "international crimes", as opposed to "crimes within the jurisdiction of the court" contained in arts 14, 15 or 53 (1). "International crimes" may thus refer to those crimes for which a duty to prosecute exists under other instruments in international law. P. Kirsch, "La Cour penale internationale face ala souverainetedes Etats", in: A. Cassese! M. Delmas-Marty, Crimes intemationaux et juridietions internationales, 2002, 31 et seq. (34); D. Sarooshi, "The Statute of the International Criminal Court", ICLQ 48 (1999), 387 et seq. (395); Duffy! Huston, see note 6,31.
7 Benzing, The Complementarity Regime of the ICC 597 The second interest, potentially rivalling with the concept of state sovereignty, is the interest of the international community in the effective prosecution of international crimes.l? the endeavour to put an end to impunity, and the deterrence of the future commission of such crimes.t? A primary concern of the Statute, and specifically the complementarity principle, is thus to strike an adequate balance between this interest and state sovereignty. Apart from these two core concepts, other possible rationales are also to be taken into consideration. For instance, it may be argued that the Court is an institution entrusted with the protection ofhuman rights ofthe accused in the national enforcement of international criminal justice, and that this mandate is expressly provided for, or at least implied, in the complementarity principle as defined by arts 17 to 19. Article 17 itself stipulates that, in determining whether a state is unwilling to prosecute, the Court shall have regard to the "principles of due process recognised by international law", begging the question whether the Court could theoretically step in and declare a case admissible if a state fervently and overzealously prosecutes war criminals with blatant disregard for the fair trial rights of the accused. If so, the principle of complementarity may thus enable the Court not only to intervene in cases of inaction of a state, but also in situations where such action leads to breaches of human rights of the accused. The idea of the Court as a protector of fair trial standards is not so far-fetched as it may seem at first glance: for instance, it has been remarked in relation to the notion of "ineffectiveness", a term that was later substituted by "inability" but that fulfilled essentially the same functions within the scheme of complementarity, that the concept was meant to comprise various situations, "including lack of action or absence of good faith in national procedures, instances in which procedures did not guarantee full respectfor the rights ofthe accused or could not be considered sufficiently impartial."31 The accused, it could be said must be protected from victor's justice, granting the Court the right to reconsider the case. 32 Further- 29 J. Meiliner, Die Zusammenarbeit mit dem Internationalen Strafgerichtshof nach dem Riimischen Statut, 2003, Preamble, paras 4 and M. Politi, "The Establishment of an International Criminal Court at the Crossroads: Issues and Prospects After the First Session of the Preparatory Committee", Nouvelles etudes penales 13 (1999),115 et seq. (143) (emphasis added). 32 Nsereko, see note 22, 116.
8 598 Max Planck UNYB 7 (2003) more, the original purpose behind the inclusion of the factors of lack of independence and impartiality in article 17 (2)(c) was to relate to procedural fairness and due process.p Were the principle of complementarity designed to cover such situations, this could possibly affect the interpretation of the entire provision. However, the line of reasoning is questionable. The ICC was not created as a human rights court stricto sensu.r' It was established to address situations where a miscarriage of justice and a breach of human rights standards works in favour of the accused and he or she profits from this irregularity by evading a just determination of his or her responsibility. These are the cases envisaged by article 17,35 which attempts to capture and more closely define those scenarios. The same goes for the ad hoc Tribunals, where the inconsistency of national proceedings with standards of a fair trial exceptionally allows the Tribunals to exercise jurisdiction in a ne bis in idem situation only if the defendant benefited from such deviations.l" Besides, international law provides other, more suitable remedies to address breaches of human rights of the accused in the context of other instruments and institutions." Were the protection of human rights of the accused in national jurisdictions added to the mandate of the Court, this would indeed add a dimension entirely different from the initial idea for its establishment.v Another possible reason behind the principle may be seen in a right ofthe accused to be prosecuted by domestic authorities and tried before a domestic court, unless those authorities or courts are unable or unwilling to do so. The fact that not only a state, but also the accused or suspect may challenge the admissibility of a case under article 19 (2)(a) and its prominent place (before a challenge brought by states in sub-paras (b) and (c)) may support this conclusion. Whether or not an international legal instrument does indeed create rights of an individual is a 33 Holmes, see note 15, Fife, see note 21, who also correctly points out that this does not mean that the work of the Court may not lead to an increased protection of human rights and that the Court is not obliged to respect human rights when operating itself (67). 35 Bourdon/ Duverger, see note 9, See arts 10 (2) ICTY Statute and 9 (2) ICTR Statute. 37 Bourdon/ Duverger, see note C. Van den Wyngaert/ T. Ongena, "Ne bis in idem Principle, Including the Issues of Amnesty", in: Cassese/ Gaeta/ Jones, see note 15, 705 et seq. (725) in relation to article 20 (3)(b).
9 Benzing, The Complementarity Regime of the ICC 599 difficult question to answer. The IC] opined in the LaGrand case that article 36 (1)(c) of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations granted a right to the individual.l? mainly on grounds of the language of the provision in question, which clearly and unambiguously referred to the duty of the state detaining the person to inform the state of nationality as a right of the detainee itself. The Rome Statute does not contain such language. Article 19 (2)(a) should consequently rather be interpreted as vesting the accused or suspect with standing to raise an issue that relates to state sovereignty.t? A right of the accused to be tried before a domestic court is thus not established. The Appeals Chamber of the ICTY, although admittedly operating in the context of primacy, rather than complementarity, reached a similar conclusion in the Tadic Interlocutory Appeal on Jurisdiction: the Chamber rejected the appellant's argument that he had an exclusive right to be tried by national courts under national laws. Given that the ICTY's statutory framework granted the same fair trial rights to the accused as national courts, the transfer of jurisdiction to an international tribunal did not infringe any rights of the accused." Finally, a more practical aspect may be a basis of the principle of complementarity: The realisation that the Court's scope for action will necessarily be limited for reasons of resource consrraints.f The Rome Statute envisages a network of courts on the national and international level (possibly including hybrid tribunals, similar to those established in Sierra Leone, Kosovo or East Timor). In the fight against impunity, the ICC will only be able to serve as a court of last resort where justice cannot be achieved on a national level. Besides, the complementarity principle pays tribute to the realisation that national authorities are 39 ICJ, LaGrand case (Germany v. United States of America), Judgment of 27 June 2001, ILM 40 (2001), 1069 et seq. (1088, para. 77). See K. Oellers Frahm, "Die Entscheidung des IGH im Fall LaGrand - ein Markstein in der Rechtsprechung des IGH", in: T. Marauhn (ed.), Die Rechtsstellung des Menscben im Volkerrecht, 2003, 21 et seq. 40 In this context Prosecutor v. Tadic, Decision on the Defence Motion for Interlocutory Appeal on Jurisdiction, 2 October 1995, reprinted in: ILM 35 (1996), 35 et seq. (50, para. 55), where the accused was held to have standing to challenge the jurisdiction of the ad hoc Tribunal on the grounds that it infringed state sovereignty. 41 Ibid. para ICJ, Case Concerning the A rrest Warrant of11 April 2000 (Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Belgium), 14 February 2002, Diss Op, Van den Wyngaert, reprinted in: ILM 41 (2002),536 et seq. (639, para. 65).
10 600 Max Planck UNYB 7 (2003) closer to evidence and that the crimes under the jurisdiction of the Court are normally best prosecuted in the state where they have been commined.f The principle is thus not just "a reluctant concession to realpolitik but a substantive and sound operating rule that recognizes that trials closer to the scene of events at issue have inherent practical as well as expressive value".44 In conclusion, it may be stated that the principle of complementarity has been primarily designed to strike a delicate balance between state sovereignty to exercise jurisdiction and the realisation that, for the effective prevention of such crimes and impunity, the international community has to step in to ensure these objectives and retain its credibility in the pursuance of these aims. 45 At the same time, the principle of complementarity is an implicit restriction of state sovereignty, not because it establishes a duty to prosecute, but because it takes away the possibility for States parties to remain inactive, even under a breach of international law in cases where a duty to prosecute exists under other instruments. The principle thus gives effect to, and indeed completes the idea of an effective decentralised prosecution of international crimes.t" III. Article 17 Analysed: The Substance of the Principle Article 17 sets out the substantive criteria for a determination of the admissibility of a case. Interestingly, it is not formulated in a positive manner ("a case is inadmissible"). This, however, does not per se create Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court, see note 9, para. 31. The availability of evidence argument normally only applies to proceedings in the state of the commission of the crime(s) in questions. 44 J.E. Alvarez, "The New Dispute Settlers: (Half) Truths and Consequences", Tex. Int'l L. J. 39 ( ), 405 et seq. (437); similar: O. Triffterer, "Der lange Weg zu einer internationalen Strafgerichtsbarkeit", Zeitschrift fur die gesamte Strafrechtswissenschaft 114 (2002), 321 et seq. (362). Williams, see note 2, MN 20. See R. Wolfrum, "The Decentralized Prosecution of International Offences Through National Courts", in: Y. Dinsteinl M. Tabory, War Crimes in International Law, 1996, 233 et seq.
11 Benzing, The Complementarity Regime of the ICC 601 a presumption, in the technical sense of the word.t? in favour of inadmissibiliry.t'' A case is thus inadmissible where one of the four factors enumerated in the first paragraph of article 17 is given. At the same time, article 17 (1) establishes a mandatory but exhaustive list of inadmissibility criteria, i.e. where non of these exists, the case is admissible,"? However, all cases and situations before the Court have to be carefully measured against the factors mentioned in article 17 so as not to circumvent the requirements established in article 17, which reflect the above mentioned compromise between state sovereignty and the effective administration of justice. 1. Article 17 (1)(a) The first requirement provided by article 17 (1)(a) is that a state - both a State party or a non State party - either is investigating or prosecuting the case at hand, or has investigated it and refrained from prosecuting the person concerned. Mere inaction of a state in the face of crimes having been or being committed thus leads to the admissibility of situations and cases before the ICe so Meaning that a presumption of inadmissibility would have to be rebutted by the Prosecutor. Such presumptions do to a certain extent exist within the different factors of article 17 (a) to (d). See under IV. 5. It does, however, by its choice of words, create a presumption in favour of action at the level of states: A. Cassese, "The Statute of the International Criminal Court: Some Preliminary Reflections", EJIL 10 (1999),144 et seq. (158). B. Broomhall, International Justice and the International Criminal Court: Between Sovereignty and the Rule of Law, 2003, 90; Meiliner, see note 29, 70; Solera, see note 12, 165. It should be mentioned, however that, where a state refrains from instituting investigative proceedings since it is clear that a (e.g. procedural) bar to such proceedings exists and initiation of such proceedings would consequently be futile under national law, this "inaction" is to be measured against article 17 (1)(b). In this case, it should be enough that the authority dealt with the matter at least in terms of considering whether to initiate proceedings. The bar to the proceedings should then be analysed under the terms of "unwillingness" and "inability". Broomhall (see note 49,91) refers to this scenario as falling out of the scope of article 17 (1)(a) to (c) altogether and thus treats it as always admissible without any further qualifications.
12 602 Max Planck UNYB 7 (2003) The terms "investigation" and "prosecut ion " can be defined by recurring to national practice and the experience of the ad hoctribunals. The Statute itself, in its Part 5, understands investigation as a procedure to determine whether a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court has been or is being committed and that aims at bringing the alleged perpetrator to criminal justice. It is questionable whether "investigation" can be assigned a broader meaning than criminal investigations to include a "diligent, methodical effort to gather the evidence and ascertain the facts relating to the conduct in question, in order to make an objective determination in accordance with pertinent criteria",51 so as to comprise alternative mechanisms such as truth and reconciliation commissions.v The next element stipulated by article 17 (1)(a) is that the state that has investigated or is investigating or prosecuting the case has jurisdiction over the case at hand. A state's (or the accused's or suspect's) claim that a case would be inadmissible does not have to be considered if such jurisdiction is not established. Jurisdiction, in this context, is not limited to the permissibility to exercise jurisdiction under a principle of international law 53 but should also be taken to include the actual competence under the respective domestic legal system to adjudicate and enforce a judgement concerning a crime under the jurisdiction of the Court.54 The most problematic part of article 17 (1)(a), and indeed of the complementarity principle as such, is the third prong of the admissibility test, i.e, the exception to inadmissibility: even though a case is investigated or prosecuted by a state which has jurisdiction over it, it can nevertheless be admissible if the state is "unwilling or unable genuinely D. Robinson, "Serving the Interests of Justice : Amnesties, Truth Commissions and the International Criminal Court", EjIL 14 (2003), 481 et seq. (500). Cf. Seibert-Fohr, see note 26; J.J. Llewellyn, "A Comment on the Complementary Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court: Adding Insult to Injury in Transitional Contexts?", Dalhousie LawJournal 24 (2001),192 et seq.; Robinson, see note 51. Dahm/ Delbriick/ Wolfrum, see note 19, MeiBner, see note 29, 75; C. Hall, "Article 19", in: Triffterer, see note 2, MN 11.
13 Benzing, The Complementarity Regime of the ICC 603 to carry out the investigation or prosecution't.v The notions of "unwilling" and "unable" are disjunctive.56 It may be argued that the credibility of the Court hinges on the interpretation and application of this part of the test. On the one hand, it has often been observed that it is difficult to imagine the Court sitting in judgement over a whole national criminal justice system - a task not easy to fulfil in general and even more awkward to shoulder as a fledgling international institution facing fierce opposition from some flanks. On the other hand, too narrow an interpretation of the terms is likely to provoke criticism from non-governmental organisations and other supporters of the Court that the Court is excessively deferent to states. Applying the terms may well mean walking a judicial tightrope. Even though the apprehension of states and other actors sceptical of the Court's purportedly intrusive character should not be underestimated but taken seriously, it should at the same time be pointed out that, according to the wording of article 17, the Court will always assess the situation in a state merely in relation to a specific case, rather than make a general and all-embracing examination of the system as such.v Nevertheless, the terms "unwilling" and "unable" make clear that the Court will not simply notarise the exercise of jurisdiction by a state. They require a certain degree of scrutiny of the quality and standard of national proceedings/" In interpreting the notions, one may seek guidance in the rule of exhaustion of local remedies.t? As a caveat, however, it should be men It is interesting to observe that this formulation has found its way into article 1 (3) of the Statute of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, reprinted in: R. Dixon/ K.A.A. Khan/ R. May (eds), Archbold, International Criminal Courts, Practice, Procedureand Evidence, 2003, 1182 et seq. Holmes, see note 15, 675. However, it is doubtful whether this will also be the case in relation to inability: to state a total collapse of a national judicial system comes close to "sitting in judgement of an entire national criminal justice system": d. M. Bergsmo, "The Jurisdictional Regime of the International Criminal Court (Part II, Articles 11-19)", European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and CriminalJustice 6 (1998), 29 et seq. (43). M. Politi, "The Rome Statute of the ICC: Rays of Light and Some Shadows", in: M. Politi/ G. Nesi (ed.), The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court: A Challenge to Impunity, 2001,7 et seq. (15). C. Stahn, "Zwischen Weltfrieden und materieller Gerechtigkeit: Die Gerichtsbarkeit des Internationalen Strafgerichtshofs (IntStGH)", EuGRZ 25 (1998), 577 et seq. (589). L. Caflisch, "Der Internationale Strafgerichtshof:
14 604 Max Planck UNYB 7 (2003) tioned that the limits to the principle of the exhaustion of local remedies (ineffectiveness or unavailability) cannot lightly be drawn upon in order to interpret the terms of unwillingness or inability in article 17, since the expressions "ineffectiveness" and "unavailability" were included in the ILC draft 60 but have not found their way into the Rome Statute for lack of clarity.s! A preliminary question, both with respect to unwillingness and inability, is the meaning of the term "genuinely", which qualifies the actions of a state taken to investigate or prosecute a case. No precedent in international law for the use of the term was quoted during the negotiations.p It is questionable whether it adds anything to the terms unwilling and unable. Commentators observe that it proved to be the least subjective concept considered during the negotiationsr-' among other Straftatbestande, Schutz der Menschenrechte, kollektive Sicherheit", Liechtensteinische ]uristen-zeitung 24 (2003), 73 et seq. (75). The rule of exhaustion of local remedies regulates the admissibility of proceedings before international courts, be it in relation to classical proceedings of diplomatic protection or international human rights remedies. In both areas, the base of the rule is that the state having allegedly committed a breach of international (human rights) law is the first place where the individual should seek a remedy for this breach (proximity argument) and gives the state in question the opportunity to examine and, if necessary, redress, the violation before an international body deals with the matter (safeguard of sovereignty aspect). At the same time, the principle finds its limits where the implementation of quick and efficient justice or the effective and peaceful settlement of disputes take precedence over state sovereignty. The rule is consequently a manifestation of the attempt to reconcile state sovereignty with these values. It should be added that the rule, in addition to relating to procedural law, may also have a substantive aspect, see: Report of the ILC, GAOR 56th Sess., Suppl. No. 10 (Doc. A/56/10), Chapter IV (State Responsibility),.304et seq. (commentary on article 44). Report of the ILC on the work of its 46th Sess. (2 May - 22 July 1994), GAOR 48th Sess., Suppl. No. 10 (Doc. A/49/10), 44, third preambular paragraph. Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court, see note 9, para. 41; compare also Holmes, see note 15, 674; Williams, see note 2, MN 18; A. Bos, "The Role of an International Criminal Court in the Light of the Principle of Complementarity", in: E. Denters/ N. Schrijver(eds), Reflections on International Law from the Low Countries, 1998,249 et seq. (257). See however article 17 (3), which mentions "unavailability" as one example of inability. Holmes, see note 15, 674. Ibid.
15 Benzing, The Complementarity Regime of the ICC 605 proposals that were considered to be excessively subjective were "effectively", "diligently", and "in good faith".64 Textually, the term qualifies and possibly objectifies the act of investigating or prosecuting, rather than the ability or willingness to do so. It underlines that only those national criminal proceedings undertaken with the serious intent of eventually bringing the offender to justice shall bar the exercise of jurisdiction by the Court 65 and thus mainly serves to stress the need for effective prosecution already referred to in the Preamble." a. Unwillingness In order to give the Court criteria at hand to determine when a state is unwilling to genuinely carry out the investigation or prosecution, article 17 (2) sets out three specific situations of unwillingness. The provision reads: "In order to determine unwillingness in a particular case, the Court shall consider, having regard to the principles of due process recognized by international law, whether one or more of the following exist, as applicable: (a) The proceedings were or are being undertaken or the national decision was made for the purpose of shielding the person concerned from criminal responsibility for crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court referred to in article 5; (b) There has been an unjustified delay in the proceedings which in the circumstances is inconsistent with an intent to bring the person concerned to justice; (c) The proceedings were not or are not being conducted independently or impartially, and they were or are being conducted in a manner which, in the circumstances, is inconsistent with an intent to bring the person concerned to justice." The language of article 17 (2) unambiguously requires the Court to take into account the factors listed under paras (a) to (c). Another question is P. Benvenuti, "Complementarity of the International Criminal Court to National Criminal Jurisdictions", in: F. Lattanzi/ W. Schabas (eds), Essays on the Rome Statute ofthe Intemational Criminal Court, Vol. 1, 1999, 21 et seq. (42). A. Zimmermann, "The Creation of a Permanent International Criminal Court", Max Planck UNYB 2 (1998), 169 et seq. (220, note 184). Para. 4.
16 606 Max Planck UNYB 7 (2003) whether the Court, in determining unwillingness, is limited to these criteria, or whether it may also refer to other, unnamed factors. The text itself does not inevitably point into one direction or the other. The lack of a clarifying addition, such as "inter alia" or "including but not limited to", as used in arts 90 (6) and 97, may be taken to indicate that it is a closed and exhaustive list. 67 The word "consider", however, has been interpreted as having been deliberately chosen in order not to tie the Court's hands in respect to the criteria but to allow it to take other factors into consideration.s'' In the light of the consideration that "unwillingness" is meant to be an exception to the general rule that a case is inadmissible if the state investigates or prosecutes, the factors specifying the term should be construed narrowly and the list deemed exhaustive. The chapeau of article 17 (2) requires the court to have "regard to the principles of due process recognised by international law" in its assessment of the three factors circumscribing unwillingness. It has been observed that the phrase was introduced to ensure that the Court uses "objective" criteria in its consideration of national procedures". First meant to apply only to the criteria in article 17 (2)(c) (independent or impartial), it was later included in the chapeau of article 17 (2), thus applying to all subparagraphs.p The meaning of the formula is unclear?' and needs some further illumination. It could be argued that the reference to due process rights implies that where a trial breaches due process rights of the accused a state is "unwilling" to genuinely carry out the investigation or prosecution. As already mentioned, some authors apparently contend that in case an accused has been convicted in proceedings that breached his or her due 67 Holmes, see note 15, 675; MeiBner, see note 29, Robinson, see note 51, J.T. Holmes, "The Principle of Complementarity", in: R.S. Lee, The Inte r national Criminal Court: The Making ofthe Rome Statute: Issues, Negotiations, Results, 1999,41 et seq. (53-54). 70 Holmes, see note 69, 54. The original order and context seems to have been "preserved" in article 20 (3)(c), where "due process" only applies to the terms "impartially" and "independently". 71 J. Gurule, "United States Opposition to the 1998 Rome Statute Establishing an International Criminal Court: Is the Court's Jurisdiction Truly Complementary to National Criminal Jurisdictions?" Cornell Int'l L. J. 35 ( ), 1 et seq. (16 (note 61) and 26). Gurule even suggests deleting the passage from the Statute (29 in fine). In relation to article 20 (3) which uses similar words, see Van den Wyngaertl Ongena, see note 38, 725.
17 Benzing, The Complementarity Regime of the ICC 607 process rights, the Court could theoretically step in,72 since the phrase suggests an assessment of the quality of justice from the standpoint of procedural and perhaps even substantive fairness (to the accusedj." However, such a conclusion is doubtful in the light of the above concerning the rationale of the complementarity principle. The Court is not and cannot be a forum to redress human rights breaches of an accused. The normal situation envisaged by article 17 (2)(c) would not prejudice the accused, but, on the contrary, would be to his or her benefit.?" Given that the Statute grants extensive rights of participation in the proceedings to victims of crimes under the jurisdiction of the Court, another possibility may be to interpret the phrase in the light of the victim's right to have a perpetrator punished under international law. Indeed, some commentators seem to read the reference to "due process" rights as referring to the rights of victims in relation to criminal proceedings." The first question to be asked in this respect is whether a victim of an international crime indeed has an individual right under existing international law to see the perpetrator investigated and punished. In the Velasquez Rodriguez case, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights deduced from article 1 (1) of the Convention an obligation of states to "prevent, investigate and punish any violation of the rights recognised by the Convention'Vf It is however questionable whether this can be generalised from the regional to the international level." For instance, within the framework of the International Cove Gurule, see note 71, 26; I. Tallgren, "Article 20", in: Triffterer, see note 2, MN 29; implicitly also: O. Triffterer, "Legal and Political Implications of Domestic Ratification and Implementation Processes ", in: KreB/ Lattanzi, see note 6, 1 et seq. (14 and 16). W. Schabas, An Introduction to the International Criminal Court, 2001, 68. Gurule, see note 71, 26. R.B. Philips, "The International Criminal Court Statute: Jurisdiction and Admissibility", Criminal Law Forum 10 (1999),61 et seq. (79); Nsereko, see note 22, 116; MeiBner, see note 29, 82. Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Velasquez Rodriguez case, 29 July 1988, reprinted in: ILM 28 (1989), 291 et seq. (324, para. 166) (emphasis added). 77 As to the uncertainties generally pertaining to this question see: Civil and Political Rights, Including the Question of Independence of the Judiciary, Administration ofjustice, Impunity, Report of the Independent Expert on the Right to Restitution, Compensation and Rehabilitation for Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, submitted
18 608 Max Planck UNYB 7 (2003) nant on Civil and Political Rights, states generally have the obligation to protect human life, the physical integrity and freedom of the person, but victims are usually not accorded the right that authors of offences against these values be criminally prosecuted by the state." However, the European Court of Human Rights has held that "the notion of an effective remedy for the purposes of Article 13 [ECHR] entails, in addition to the payment of compensation where appropriate, a thorough and effective investigation capable of leading to the identification and punishment of those responsible and including effective access for the relatives to the investigatory procedure."?" Analysed more closely, the Court, far from establishing an individual right to see the perpetrator punished, merely gives the victim the right to have the state conduct an investigation which is capable of leading to punishment. More importantly, this holding seems to be limited to the specific facts of the case, and the right only arises in cases of intentional and direct infringement of the right to personal integrity and life;80 the decision itself is restricted to situations where the crime was committed by state agents." The duty thus cannot be said to apply generally to all situations covered by the Rome Statute. Finally, the Rome Statute itself does not explicitly provide for such a right of victims. This result is consistent with a textual interpretation of article 17 (2): "due process" rights are generally defined as rights of the accused, not pursuant to Commission on Human Rights Resolution 1998/43, by Mr. M. Cherif Bassiouni, Doc. E/CNA/1999/65, 8 February 1999, especially paras 18 et seq. C. Tomuschat, "Human Rights and National Truth Commissions", in: P.R. Baehr (ed.), Innovation and Inspiration, 1999, 151 et seq. (158); A. Seibert Fohr, "The Fight against Impunity under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights", Max Planck UNYB 6 (2002), 301 et seq. (312 et seq.), Human Rights Committee, Communication No. 578/1994 (L. de Groot v. The Netherlands), 14 July 1995, Doc. CCPR/C/54/D/578/1994. See, however, the revised final report prepared by Mr. Joinet pursuant to Sub-Commission Decision 1996/119, Doc. E/CNA/Sub.2/1997/20/Rev.l, para. 26. European Court of Human Rights, Kaya v. Turkey, 19 February 1998, para. 107; also: D,P'&j.C. v. The United Kingdom, Judgment, 10 October 2002, para. 107 (emphasis added). C. Droge, Positive Verpflichtungen der Staaten in der Europdiscben Menschenrechtskonvention, 2003, 331. In relation to a possible extension to human rights infringements by private actors pursuant to article 13 ECHR d. Droge, see above, 59.
19 Benzing, The Complementarity Regime of the ICC 609 of the victims.f Under the United States Constitution, for example, the Fifth Amendment (Due Process Clause) guarantees that no person shall "be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law".83 Also on the international plane, it is a right of the defendant in criminal proceedings.s" Considering the above, the objective of the phrase "having regard to the principles of due process recognised by international law" cannot be to protect the individual (victims or accused) in that a state may be deemed unwilling where it breaches their rights, but may be interpreted to give the Court some criteria at hand in order to interpret the terms used by article 17 (2). Thus, in order to establish what amounts to an "unjustified delay" in article 17 (2)(b), the Court may look at jurisprudence defining such delay under the relevant human rights instruments. In addition, one may look at how courts, under different instruments, have interpreted the duty of a state with respect to the administration of its criminal justice system. However, one has to take into account that the background of these provisions is the protection of the individual exposed to criminal prosecution and thus diverges substantially from the issue determined by article 17. On that premise, the factors enumerated in paras (a) to (c) can be more closely considered. aa. Article 17 (2)(a) Article 17 (2)(a) requires proof of a purpose ofshielding, which is a considerably high threshold and raises the question of how such intent is to Gurule, see note 71, 26. See also: S. Rosenne, "The Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court", Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law 2 (1999),119 et seq. (131). U.S. Constitution, Amendment V. Cf. DeFrancia, "Due Process in International Criminal Courts: Why Procedure Matters", Va. L. R. 87 (2001), 1381 et seq. The same goes for the French version "proces equitable": A. La Rosa, "Reflexions sur l'apport du Tribunal penal international pour l'ex-yougoslavie au droit a un proces equitable", RGDIP 101 (1997),945 et seq. In relation to fair trial before the ICTY see also: C. Hog, "Das Recht auf ein faires Verfahren und der Internationale Strafgerichtshof fur das ehemalige Jugoslawien: Zwischen Sein und Werden", ZaoRV 62 (2002), 809 et seq.
20 610 Max Planck UNYB 7 (2003) be proved before the Court.f" By contrast, paras (b) and (c) have more objective criteria as bases, i.e. an unjustified delay or proceedings which are not conducted independently or impartially, and require that these, "in the circumstances" be "inconsistent with an intent to bring the person concerned to justice". In other words, for the latter two provisions, it is not necessary to positively prove that no such intent existed (or, a fortiori, that there was an intent to shield the perpetrator from justice), but mere "inconsistency" with a bona fide investigation and prosecution. 86 To establish a purpose of shielding, it is not sufficient to find that a state only initiated proceedings in order to prevent the Court from acting, since this is clearly permissible under and envisaged by the complementarity regime.87 Besides, the Statute clearly encourages and relies on national action. If the state has the intent to establish the relevant facts, to evaluate these facts according to the pertinent laws and, in case of conviction, to impose an adequate sentence, this precludes an intent to shield a person, even if, at the same time, the state wishes to prevent the Court from stepping in. 88 bb. Article 17 (2)(b) To establish an "unjustified delay" in the proceedings, the test must be stricter than one of mere "undue delay" since this expression was considered too Iowa threshold at the Rome Conference."? It is uncertain how such delay should be determined. One core rationale of the complementarity principle being to protect sovereignty, it could be argued that a delay should be assessed by reference to the usual procedures and time-frames within each individual state.?? For reasons of consistency, it B. Broomhall, "The International Criminal Court: A Checklist for National Implementation", Nouvelles etudes penales 13 (1999), 113 et seq. (145), suggests that the Court take into account "all the circumstances, including the factors taken into account in making a decision not to prosecute, and the manner in which an investigation or prosecution was being undertaken". Cf. Broomhall, see above. L.N. Sadat/ S.R. Carden, "The New International Criminal Court: An Uneasy Revolution", Geo. L. J. 88 (2000), 381 et seq. (418). Meiflner, see note 29, 83. Williams, see note 2, MN 17. Holmes, see note 15, 676; Zimmermann, see note 65, 222.
Amnesties, Pardons And Complementarity: Does The International Criminal Court Have The Tools To End Impunity? Rhys David Evans
Amnesties, Pardons And Complementarity: Does The International Criminal Court Have The Tools To End Impunity? Rhys David Evans Abstract The goals of the International Criminal Court as outlined in the
A Changing Notion of Complementarity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
17 A Changing Notion of Complementarity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Pham Thi Thu Huong Contents: I. Introduction II. Background III. Discussion during the drafting process