Source: https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/un-statute-ictr
Timestamp: 2020-05-31 20:44:50
Document Index: 623006882

Matched Legal Cases: ['Art. 1', 'Art. 12', 'Art. 3', 'Arts 2', 'Arts 2', 'Arts 2', 'Art. 4', 'Art. 3', 'Art. 3', 'Art. 4', 'Art. 4', 'Art. 4', 'Art. 4', 'Art. 9', 'Art. 3', 'Art. 6', 'Arts 5']

UN, Statute of the ICTR | How does law protect in war? - Online casebook
A. The Statute and annex Art. 1 to 11
[Source: UN Doc. S/RES/955 (November 8, 1994)]
for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Genocide
and Other Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law
for Genocide and Other such Violations Committed
in the Territory of Neighbouring States,
between January 1, 1994 and December 31, 1994
Having considered the reports of the Secretary-General pursuant to paragraph 3 of resolution 935 (1994) of July 1, 1994 (S/1994/879 and S/1994/906), and having taken note of the reports of the Special Rapporteur for Rwanda of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (S/1994/1157, annex I and annex II),
Expressing appreciation for the work of the Commission of Experts established pursuant to resolution 935 (1994), in particular its preliminary report on violations of international humanitarian law in Rwanda transmitted by the Secretary-General’s letter of October 1, 1994 (S/1994/1125),
Stressing also the need for international cooperation to strengthen the courts and judicial system of Rwanda, having regard in particular to the necessity for those courts to deal with large numbers of suspects, [...]
Decides hereby, having received the request of the Government of Rwanda (S/1994/1115), to establish an international tribunal for the sole purpose of prosecuting persons responsible for genocide and other serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the territory of Rwanda and Rwandan citizens responsible for genocide and other such violations committed in the territory of neighbouring States, between January 1, 1994 and December 31, 1994 and to this end to adopt the Statute of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda annexed hereto;
Considers that the Government of Rwanda should be notified prior to the taking of decisions under articles 26 and 27 of the Statute; [...]
Having been established by the Security Council acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Genocide and Other Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of Rwanda and Rwandan citizens responsible for genocide and other such violations committed in the territory of neighbouring States, between January 1, 1994 and December 31, 1994 (hereinafter referred to as “the International Tribunal for Rwanda”) shall function in accordance with the provisions of the present Statute.
The International Tribunal for Rwanda shall have the power to prosecute persons responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the territory of Rwanda and Rwandan citizens responsible for such violations committed in the territory of neighbouring States, between January 1, 1994 and December 31, 1994, in accordance with the provisions of the present Statute.
Article 4: Violations of Article 3 common to the Geneva Conventions
The International Tribunal for Rwanda shall have the power to prosecute persons committing or ordering to be committed serious violations of Article 3 common to the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949 for the Protection of War Victims, and of Additional Protocol II thereto of June 8, 1977. These violations shall include, but shall not be limited to:
The territorial jurisdiction of the International Tribunal for Rwanda shall extend to the territory of Rwanda including its land surface and airspace as well as to the territory of neighbouring States in respect of serious violations of international humanitarian law committed by Rwandan citizens. The temporal jurisdiction of the International Tribunal for Rwanda shall extend to a period beginning on January 1, 1994 and ending on December 31, 1994.
The International Tribunal for Rwanda and national courts shall have concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute persons for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the territory of Rwanda and Rwandan citizens for such violations committed in the territory of the neighbouring States, between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 1994.
The International Tribunal for Rwanda shall have the primacy over the national courts of all States. At any stage of the procedure, the International Tribunal for Rwanda may formally request national courts to defer to its competence in accordance with the present Statute and the Rules of Procedure and Evidence of the International Tribunal for Rwanda.
A person who has been tried before a national court for acts constituting serious violations of international humanitarian law may be subsequently tried by the International Tribunal for Rwanda only if:
The act for which he or she was tried was characterised as an ordinary crime; or
[as modified by Security Council Resolution 1512 (2003)]
The Chambers shall be composed of sixteen permanent independent judges, no two of whom may be nationals of the same State, and a maximum at any one time of nine ad litem independent judges appointed in accordance with article 12 ter, paragraph 2, of the present Statute, no two of whom may be nationals of the same State.
Three permanent judges and a maximum at any one time of six ad litem judges shall be members of each Trial Chamber. Each Trial Chamber to which ad litem judges are assigned may be divided into sections of three judges each, composed of both permanent and ad litem judges. A section of a Trial Chamber shall have the same powers and responsibilities as a Trial Chamber under the present Statute and shall render judgement in accordance with the same rules.
A person who for the purposes of membership of the Chambers of the International Tribunal for Rwanda could be regarded as a national of more than one State shall be deemed to be a national of the State in which that person ordinarily exercises civil and political rights.
Art. 12 to 32
Article 12 bis: Election of Permanent Judges
Eleven of the permanent judges of the International Tribunal for Rwanda shall be elected by the General Assembly from a list submitted by the Security Council, in the following manner:
The Secretary-General shall invite nominations for permanent judges of the International Tribunal for Rwanda from States Members of the United Nations and non-member States maintaining permanent observer missions at United Nations Headquarters;
Within sixty days of the date of the invitation of the Secretary-General, each State may nominate up to two candidates meeting the qualifications set out in article 12 of the present Statute, no two of whom shall be of the same nationality and neither of whom shall be of the same nationality as any judge who is a member of the Appeals Chamber and who was elected or appointed a permanent judge of the International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia’) in accordance with article 13 bis of the Statute of that Tribunal;
The Secretary-General shall forward the nominations received to the Security Council. From the nominations received the Security Council shall establish a list of not less than twenty-two and not more than thirty-three candidates, taking due account of the adequate representation on the International Tribunal for Rwanda of the principal legal systems of the world;
The President of the Security Council shall transmit the list of candidates to the President of the General Assembly. From that list the General Assembly shall elect eleven permanent judges of the International Tribunal for Rwanda. The candidates who receive an absolute majority of the votes of the States Members of the United Nations and of the non-member States maintaining permanent observer missions at United Nations Headquarters, shall be declared elected. Should two candidates of the same nationality obtain the required majority vote, the one who received the higher number of votes shall be considered elected.
In the event of a vacancy in the Chambers amongst the permanent judges elected or appointed in accordance with this article, after consultation with the Presidents of the Security Council and of the General Assembly, the Secretary-General shall appoint a person meeting the qualifications of article 12 of the present Statute, for the remainder of the term of office concerned.
The permanent judges elected in accordance with this article shall be elected for a term of four years. The terms and conditions of service shall be those of the permanent judges of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. They shall be eligible for re-election.
The ad litem judges of the International Tribunal for Rwanda shall be elected by the General Assembly from a list submitted by the Security Council, in the following manner:
The Secretary-General shall invite nominations for ad litem judges of the International Tribunal for Rwanda from States Members of the United Nations and non-member States maintaining permanent observer missions at United Nations Headquarters;
Within sixty days of the date of the invitation of the Secretary-General, each State may nominate up to four candidates meeting the qualifications set out in article 12 of the present Statute, taking into account the importance of a fair representation of female and male candidates;
The Secretary-General shall forward the nominations received to the Security Council. From the nominations received the Security Council shall establish a list of not less than thirty-six candidates, taking due account of the adequate representation of the principal legal systems of the world and bearing in mind the importance of equitable geographical distribution;
The President of the Security Council shall transmit the list of candidates to the President of the General Assembly. From that list the General Assembly shall elect the eighteen ad litem judges of the International Tribunal for Rwanda. The candidates who receive an absolute majority of the votes of the States Members of the United Nations and of the non-member States maintaining permanent observer missions at United Nations Headquarters shall be declared elected;
During their term, ad litem judges will be appointed by the Secretary-General, upon request of the President of the International Tribunal for Rwanda, to serve in the Trial Chambers for one or more trials, for a cumulative period of up to, but not including, three years. When requesting the appointment of any particular ad litem judge, the President of the International Tribunal for Rwanda shall bear in mind the criteria set out in article 12 of the present Statute regarding the composition of the Chambers and sections of the Trial Chambers, the considerations set out in paragraphs 1 (b) and (c) above and the number of votes the ad litem judge received in the General Assembly.
Article 12 quater: Status of Ad litem Judges
During the period in which they are appointed to serve in the International Tribunal for Rwanda, ad litem judges shall:
Benefit from the same terms and conditions of service mutatis mutandis as the permanent judges of the International Tribunal for Rwanda;
Enjoy, subject to paragraph 2 below, the same powers as the permanent judges of the International Tribunal for Rwanda;
Enjoy the privileges and immunities, exemptions and facilities of a judge of the International Tribunal for Rwanda;
During the period in which they are appointed to serve in the International Tribunal for Rwanda, ad litem judges shall not:
Be eligible for election as, or to vote in the election of, the President of the International Tribunal for Rwanda or the Presiding Judge of a Trial Chamber pursuant to article 13 of the present Statute;
To adopt rules of procedure and evidence pursuant to article 14 of the present Statute. They shall, however, be consulted before the adoption of those rules;
To review an indictment pursuant to article 18 of the present Statute;
To consult with the President of the International Tribunal for Rwanda in relation to the assignment of judges pursuant to article 13 of the present Statute or in relation to a pardon or commutation of sentence pursuant to article 27 of the present Statute.
The permanent judges of the International Tribunal for Rwanda shall elect a President from amongst their number.
The President of the International Tribunal for Rwanda shall be a member of one of its Trial Chambers.
After consultation with the permanent judges of the International Tribunal for Rwanda, the President shall assign two of the permanent judges elected or appointed in accordance with article 12 bis of the present Statute to be members of the Appeals Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and eight to the Trial Chambers of the International Tribunal for Rwanda.
The members of the Appeals Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia shall also serve as the members of the Appeals Chamber of the International Tribunal for Rwanda.
After consultation with the permanent judges of the International Tribunal for Rwanda, the President shall assign such ad litem judges as may from time to time be appointed to serve in the International Tribunal for Rwanda to the Trial Chambers.
The permanent judges of each Trial Chamber shall elect a Presiding Judge from amongst their number, who shall oversee the work of that Trial Chamber as a whole.
The Registrar shall be appointed by the Secretary-General after consultation with the President of the International Tribunal for Rwanda. He or she shall serve for a four-year term and be eligible for re-appointment. The terms and conditions of service of the Registrar shall be those of an Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations.
If questioned, the suspect shall be entitled to be assisted by Counsel of his or her own choice, including the right to have legal assistance assigned to the suspect without payment by him or her in any such case if he or she does not have sufficient means to pay for it, as well as necessary translation into and from a language he or she speaks and understands.
The accused shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to the provisions of the present Statute.
To be tried in his or her presence, and to defend himself or herself in person or through legal assistance of his or her own choosing; to be informed, if he or she does not have legal assistance, of this right; and to have legal assistance assigned to him or her, in any case where the interest of justice so require, and without payment by him or her in any such case if he or she does not have sufficient means to pay for it;
States shall comply without undue delay with any request for assistance or an order issued by a Trial Chamber, including but not limited to:
B. Security Council Resolution 1534 (2004)
[Source: S/RES/1534 (2004), Resolution 1534 (2004), Adopted by the Security Council at its 4935th meeting, on 26 March 2004.]
Recalls that the strengthening of competent national judicial systems is crucially important to the rule of law in general and to the implementation of the ICTY and ICTR Completion Strategies in particular; [...]
Does the Statute qualify the situation in Rwanda in 1994?
What is the difference between a genocide and an armed conflict? Can an armed conflict be an act of genocide? Is every genocide an armed conflict to which at least Art. 3 common to the Conventions is applicable? Why does IHL not explicitly prohibit acts of genocide? Can the same act fall under Arts 2, 3, and 4 of the Statute?
Which acts enumerated in Arts 2 and 3 of the Statute are not necessarily covered by Protocol II?
Were the genocide and the armed conflict in Rwanda, though non-international, a threat to peace (justifying measures under Chapter VII of the UN Charter)? Is the establishment of a tribunal to prosecute violations of IHL a proper measure to stop that threat? Can we today say whether it contributed to the restoration of peace in Rwanda? Does that (the end result) actually matter? Does the prosecution of (former) leaders not make peace and reconciliation more difficult?
Or are violations of IHL themselves threats to peace (justifying measures under Chapter VII of the UN Charter)? Even in non-international armed conflicts? Can the same be said of gross violations of human rights outside armed conflicts?
Can the UN Security Council establish a tribunal? Is such a tribunal independent? Is it a “court established by law”? Does the creation of a tribunal competent to try acts committed before it was established itself violate the prohibition (in IHL and international human rights law) of retroactive penal legislation?
How else than by a Security Council resolution could the ICTR have been established? What are the advantages and disadvantages of those other methods?
Is the prosecution of serious violations of the IHL of non-international armed conflicts prescribed by IHL? Is it compatible with IHL?
Are Arts 2-4 of the Statute penal legislation or simple rules of competence of the ICTR?
Is Art. 4 retroactive penal legislation, as neither Art. 3 common to the Conventions nor Protocol II foresee any individual penal responsibility for violations of the IHL of non-international armed conflicts? Were those acts prohibited under Rwandan legislation (as Rwanda was a party to Protocol II)? Would the fact that those acts were punishable under Rwandan legislation suffice to avoid a violation of the principle nullum crimen sine lege? Is that principle only respected if such legislation exists? Could Art. 3 common to the Conventions and Protocol II be considered as self-executing penal legislation?
Why does Art. 4 copy just Art. 4(2) and no other provision of Protocol II? Does that have any significance for the qualification of other violations of Protocol II as serious violations? Could you give some other examples of provisions of Protocol II the violation of which definitely falls under Art. 4 of the Statute? Could you give some examples of provisions of Protocol II the violation of which does not fall under Art. 4 of the Statute?
Is Art. 9 compatible with the IHL of non-international armed conflicts? (GC I-IV, Art. 3; P II, Art. 6)
Are those detained under the authority of the ICTR (pending trial or having been sentenced) protected by Arts 5 and 6 of Protocol II? Are any provisions of the Statute incompatible with those guarantees of IHL?
Does the ICRC have the right to visit the accused?