The False Dichotomy of Peace versus Justice and the International Criminal Court (La fausse dichotomie entre paix et justice et la Cour penale internationale)

Hague Justice Journal, Vol. 3, No. 1, p. 12, 2008

Journal Judiciaire de la Haye, Vol. 3, No. 1, p. 13, 2008

TJSL Legal Studies Research Paper No. 1340720

78 Pages Posted: 11 Feb 2009 Last revised: 18 Feb 2009

Date Written: February 10, 2009

Abstract

The International Criminal Court (ICC) was created to end impunity for the international crimes of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. But can it insist that states reject trading peace for justice when the cost of refusal is measured in human lives?

Part I of this essay examines the interpretations of the ICC statute that might allow the ICC to defer to alternative methods of justice. It evaluates four possibilities: (1) acceptance of a UN Security Council request to suspend prosecution as a threat to international peace; (2) application of the principle of complementarity to render the ICC case inadmissible; (3) application of the ICC "ne bis idem" provision to block ICC proceedings; and (4) exercise of prosecutorial discretion.

Part II proposes criteria, based on international criminal justice theory and the literature on transitional justice, to guide the ICC in its determination of whether to defer to negotiated local justice methods.

The essay is based on a more extensive article analyzing the peace vs. justice dilemma in the ICC's investigation in Northern Uganda. See Linda M. Keller, "Achieving Peace With Justice: The International Criminal Court and Ugandan Alternative Justice Mechanisms," 23 Conn. J. Int'l L. 209 (2008) (available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1018539).

Note: The downloadable document is in English, followed by the French version.

Keywords: International Criminal Court, international human rights, war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, peace with justice, alternative justice mechanisms, restorative justice, retribution, deterrence, expressivism, United Nations, Security Council, Uganda

JEL Classification: K10, K33

Suggested Citation

Keller, Linda M., The False Dichotomy of Peace versus Justice and the International Criminal Court (La fausse dichotomie entre paix et justice et la Cour penale internationale) (February 10, 2009). Hague Justice Journal, Vol. 3, No. 1, p. 12, 2008, Journal Judiciaire de la Haye, Vol. 3, No. 1, p. 13, 2008, TJSL Legal Studies Research Paper No. 1340720, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1340720

Linda M. Keller (Contact Author)

Thomas Jefferson School of Law ( email )

701 B Street
Suite 110
San Diego, CA 92101
United States
619-961-4282 (Phone)

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