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Research

Online Panel Discussion and Book Launch: ‘The Past, Present and Future of the International Criminal Court’


22 February 2022

The International Nuremberg Principles Academy organised an online panel discussion on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 22 February 2022 from 16:00 CET to 17:45 CET. At the same time, the event marked the online book launch of the fifth volume of the Nuremberg Academy Series, entitled The Past, Present and Future of the International Criminal Court, edited by Dr. Alexander Heinze and Dr. Viviane E. Dittrich.

The online event included a brief presentation of the book by the editors followed by a panel discussion with high-level experts moderated by Dr. Viviane Dittrich.

Speakers:

  • Judge Piotr Hofmanski, President of the ICC
  • Professor Leila Nadya Sadat, Washington University in St. Louis and Special Adviser on Crimes Against Humanity to the ICC Prosecutor
  • Dr. Christophe Eick, Legal Adviser and Director-General for Legal Affairs of the German Federal Foreign Office
  • Professor Charles Jalloh, Florida International University and Member of the UN International Law Commission
  • Melinda Reed, Acting Convenor of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court
  • Dr. Alexander Heinze, Assistant Professor at Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
  • Dr. Viviane Dittrich, Deputy Director of the International Nuremberg Principles Academy


In light of the twentieth anniversary of the entry into force of the Rome Statute in 2022, it was timely and topical to critically examine the achievements, challenges and critiques of the ICC. The discussion focused on select topical issues, including the Court’s effectiveness, international cooperation, completion strategies and impact of the Court, as well as the centrality of the ICC in the fight against impunity alongside other accountability mechanisms and national prosecutions. 

The edited volume The Past, Present and Future of the International Criminal Court, available as an open access publication, provides a broad perspective on the International Criminal Court’s development over time and explores some of its topical issues, achievements, challenges and critiques. The anthology combines reflections from scholars and practitioners and includes voices from inside and outside the Court, featuring multiple readings of its activities, practice and developments. In line with the volume’s title, the authors portray the establishment and development of the Court (hence the theme ‘past’), critically engage with its successes and challenges (‘present’) and draw conclusions on its achievements and way forward (‘future’). The book examines five key topics: prosecutorial policy and strategy, jurisdiction and admissibility, victims and witnesses, defence issues, and legitimacy and independence. It comprises 26 chapters, including a number of papers and speeches given at the Nuremberg Forum 2018. It also contains forewords by Piotr Hofmanski (President, ICC) and Mama Koité Doumbia (Chair, Board of Trust Fund for Victims, ICC).

The event was recorded and the video is available on the Nuremberg Academy’s YouTube channel and below.

You can download the e-book version of the book on the Nuremberg Academy website and order the print version of the book via the TOAEP website or online booksellers such as Amazon directly.

Recorded Video