The Criminal Responsibility of Senior Political and Military Leaders as Principals to International Crimes

Héctor Olásolo author Professor Dr jur Kai Ambos author Ekaterina Trendafilova editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Published:22nd Jun '10

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The Criminal Responsibility of Senior Political and Military Leaders as Principals to International Crimes cover

As shown by the trials of Slobodan Milosevic, Charles Taylor and Saddam Hussein, the large-scale and systematic commission of international crimes is usually planned and set in motion by senior political and military leaders. Nevertheless, the application of traditional forms of criminal liability leads to the conclusion that they are mere accessories to such crimes. This does not reflect their central role and often results in a punishment which is inappropriately low in view of the impact of their actions and omissions. For these reasons, international criminal law has placed special emphasis on the development of concepts, such as control of the crime and joint criminal enterprise (also known as the common purpose doctrine), which aim at reflecting better the central role played by senior political and military leaders in campaigns of large scale and systematic commission of international crimes. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the case law of the ICTY and the ICTR have, in recent years, played a unique role in the achievement of this goal. Hector Olasolo's book is indispensible to anyone interested in bringing top leaders, political or military, to account for their complicity in crimes. A.G. Noorani Frontline September 2009

Hector Olasolo's book is indispensible to anyone interested in bringing top leaders, political or military, to account for their complicity in crimes. A.G. Noorani Frontline September 2009 The book offers a clear, comprehensive and structured overview concerning the criminal responsibility of senior political and military leaders and gives a sound answer to the core questions linked to the attribution or imputation of crimes. The value of this book, based on a profound knowledge of international criminal law and different national criminal systems, is the combination of theoretical considerations and a great number of concrete examples that can support scholars and practitioners in deepening their understanding of the issue. Probably, it will be a milestone in the study of the criminal responsibility of senior political and military leaders in the performance of international crimes. Cinzia Fuggetti Military Law and the Law of War Review Volume 48 (2009) This detailed and authoritative examination of the complex and controversial subject of legal liability for collective criminal behaviour in international criminal law is a timely and significant addition to the current scholarly debate. Amrita Mukherjee The Howard Law Journal Volume 49, Number 4, September 2010

ISBN: 9781849460903

Dimensions: 234mm x 156mm x 20mm

Weight: unknown

396 pages