Paola Gaeta, Professor, University of Geneva and IHEID
Tutorials – Cristina Verones
Course Description
This course aims at giving students an in-depth knowledge of the most crucial issues of international criminal law. After dealing briefly with the birth and evolution of international criminal law as a branch of public international law with regard to the so-called core crimes, the course focuses on the legal ingredients of each core crime (war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide). The course also deals with the various forms of criminal accountability, defences and excuses, and the question of international immunities for State officials. As for the mechanisms to enforce international criminal law, the course examines the role of interna¬tional and mixed tribunals and the role of national criminal jurisdictions in repressing international crimes, focusing in particular on the legitimate grounds of criminal juris¬diction under international law and the question of universal criminal jurisdiction.
