Description
(Text)
The Special Court marked a new approach by the international community to violations of international humanitarian law. Its mode of creation i.e. through an agreement between the UN and the Government of Sierra Leone - as compared to the UN ad hoc Tribunals that were established pursuant to Chapter VII of the UN Charter - was a particularity of the Court. It is the only international court that possesses concurrent, primary and complimentary jurisdiction. The objective of this thesis is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the contribution of the Special Court to the development of international humanitarian law. Similar to its predecessors (ad hoc Tribunals), the Special Court consolidated the principle under international law of individual criminal responsibility.
Ousman Njikam evaluates the Special Court's mandate to "prosecute those who 'bear the greatest responsibility'" as being in itself a contribution to the development of international humanitarian law since the ICTY and ICTR at the time of their inception did not have this limitation rationae personae / prosecutorial discretion.
The author assesses some of the interesting and challenging issues dealt with such as the recruitment of child soldiers, amnesty for international crimes, head of state immunity and the crime of forced marriage. He concludes that the Special Court contributed albeit to a limited extent to the development of international humanitarian law.
(Table of content)
1. Introduction
Methodology / Objective of Study
2. Politico-Historical Context of Sierra Leone prior to and during the Conflict
3. The Objective, Establishment, Jurisdiction and Organization of the Special Court
4. The Special Court's Case Law on Crimes against Humanity
5. The Special Court's Case Law on War Crimes
6. The Special Court's Case Law on other Serious Violations of IHL
7. Crimes under Sierra Leonean Law
8. The Legacy of the Special Court
9. General Conclusion
German Summary
Bibliography - Special Court Judgments, Decisions and Other Documents - ICTY Judgments, Decisions and Indictments - ICTR Judgments and Indictments - Other Jurisprudence and Documents - United Nations Documents - Table of other Authorities
Index
(Author portrait)
Ousman Njikam studierte Rechtswissenschaften in Dschang (Kamerun), Teramo (Italien) und Göttingen mit den Schwerpunkten Strafrecht, Völkerrecht und Völkerstrafrecht. Anschließend arbeitete er als Praktikant bei Interpol in Frankreich. Von 2006-008 war er als wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter am Lehrstuhl von RiLG Prof. Dr. Kai Ambos an der Universität Göttingen beschäftigt. Im Anschluss an seinen Magisterabschluss promovierte er an der Universität Göttingen. Von 2008-09 arbeitete er bei der Staatsanwaltschaft des Internationalen Strafgerichtshofs in Den Haag. Seit April 2009 ist er Associate Legal Officer in den Kammern beim Internationalen Strafgerichtshof für das ehemalige Jugoslawien in Den Haag.
