The prosecutorial interpretation of the complementarity principle: Does it really contribute to ending impunity on the national level?

International Criminal Law Review

Volumn 10, Issue 1, 2010, Pages 73-96

  Jurdi, Nidal Nabil ^a,b  

^a Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights   (United States)

^b AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT   (Lebanon)

Author keywords

admissibility; complementarity; inability; inaction; International Criminal Court (ICC); national jurisdiction; unwillingness

Indexed keywords

EID: 77954964103     PISSN: 1567536X     EISSN: 15718123     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1163/157181209X12584562670857     Document Type: Article

References (139)

1. M. Cherif Bassiouni, "The ICC- Quo Vadis" (1 July 2006) 3 Journal of International Criminal Justice , 423.
2. R. Falk, "What Future for the UN Charter System of War Prevention?", (July 2003) 97 The American Journal for International Law , 597.
3. Informal Expert Paper: The Principle of Complementarity in Practice . ICC-OTP 2003, 2. Available from: http://www.icc-cpi.int/library/organs/otp/ complementarity.pdf (Accessed: 23 August 2008).
4. The International Criminal Court, Office of the Prosecutor, "Paper on Some Policy Issues before the Office of the Prosecutor" (2003) ICC-OTP 2003, 2. Available from: http://www.icc-cpi.int/ library/organs/otp/030905- Policy-Paper.pdf (Accessed: 23 February 2008).
5. Article 14 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, U.N. Doc. A/CONF.183/9.
6. K. Southwick , "Investigating War in Northern Uganda: Dilemmas for the International Criminal Court", (Fall 2005) Yale Journal of International Affairs 108.
7. Article 53 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, UN Doc. A/CONF.183/9. See also P. Akhavan "Developments at the International Criminal Court: The Lord's Resistance Army Case: Uganda's Submission of the First State Referral to the International Criminal Court", (April, 2005) 99 The American Journal of International Law 413. 8 )
8. M. Benzing, "The Complementarity Regime of the International Criminal Court: International Criminal Justice between State Sovereignty and the Fight against Impunity", (2003) 7 Max Planck Yearbook of United Nations Law 630.
9. The argument is that it is primary uncontested role of the state to prosecute International crime, and thus the state referral is a transfer of this right to the ICC, and that will render the case admissible, see Benzing, ibid., at 630.
10. P. Kirsch and D. Robinson, "Referral by State Parties", in Antonio Cassese, Paula Gaeta and John R.W.D. Jones (eds.), The Rome Statute of The International Criminal Court: A Commentary (2002) I Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 622.
11. E. Wilmshurst, "Jurisdiction of the Court", in Roy S. Lee (ed.) The International Criminal Court: The Making of the Rome Statute: Issues, Negotiations and Results (1999) Dordrecht, Kluwer Law International, p. 134.
12. J. Holmes, "The Principle of Complementarity", in Roy S. Lee (ed.) The International Criminal Court: The Making of the Rome Statute: Issues, Negotiations and Results (1999) Dordrecht, Kluwer Law International, p. 78.
13. Akhavan, see note 7 above, at 413.
14. Ibid,.
15. Ibid,.
16. Ibid,.
17. Ibid., at 414.
18. Luis Moreno Ocampo, "The International Criminal Court: Hopes and Fears" (March 2005) Coca-Cola World Fund at Yale Lecture, New Haven, CT, 2.
19. Informal Expert Paper: The Principle of Complementarity in Practice, see note 3 above at 17.
20. Informal Expert Paper: The Principle of Complementarity in Practice, Ibid. , at 17.
21. Article 19(1) of the Rome Statute of the ICC, UN Doc. A/CONF. 183/9.
22. Article 19(2)(a) of the Rome Statute.
23. Article 19(2) of the Rome Statute.
24. H. Olásolo, "The Triggering Procedure Of The International Criminal Court, Procedural Treatment Of The Principle Of Complementarity, And The Role Of Office Of The Prosecutor" (26 March 2004) Guest Lecture Series of the Office of the Prosecutor, The Hague, 14.
25. Paper on Some Policy Issues before the Office of the Prosecutor, see note 4 above.
26. Ibid. , at 15.
27. The International Criminal Court, Office of the Prosecutor. 'Internal Memorandum, Report on the Referral of the Situation involving the Lord's Resistance Army', Ug/Anlys/Phase1.
28. Southwick, see note 6 above, at 109.
29. Akhavan, see note 7 above, at 415.
30. Paper on Some Policy Issues before the Office of the Prosecutor, see note 4 above, at 5.
31. Article 17(2) of the Rome Statute.
32. K. Claus, "Self-Referrals and Waivers of Complementarity" (December 2004) 2.4 Journal of International Criminal Justice , 944.
33. Article 17(1)(a) of the Rome Statute .
34. Article 17(1)(b) of the Rome Statute.
35. Claus, see note 32 at 944-945.
36. Ibid. , at 944.
37. Decision on the Prosecutor's Application for a Warrant of Arrest, Article 58, the Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo , Pre-Trial Chamber, ICC-01/04-01/06(10 February 2006), para. 29-32.
38. Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court, UN GAOR, 50th Session, Supp. no.22, para. 47, UN Doc. A/50/22 (1995).
39. Article 17(2) of the Rome Statute.
40. Southwick, see note 6 above, at 108.
41. Still there could be some exceptions to that. In the Ugandan case, the Ugandan authorities have conducted some form of investigations, at least in relation to some (lower-level) members of the LRA using treason and anti-terrorism legislation before referral. See New Vision (4 August 2004) 'Eight LRA Agents Arrested'.
42. Also, The Monitor (October 8, 2004) 'UPDF arrests 26 over LRA links'; New Vision (8 October 2004) 'Suspected LRA Rebel Partners Detained'.
43. Article 17(1)(b) and 17.3 of the Rome Statute. Also, Ocampo, see note 18 above, at 2 .
44. Human Rights Watch, "Democratic Republic of the Congo: Confronting Impunity" (January, 2004) 4. Available from: http://hrw.org/english/docs/ 2004/02/02/congo7230-txt.htm (Accessed: May 22, 2007). The situation in some areas of the DRC, including Bunia and Kinshasa, has improved subsequently. Lubanga was already in custody in Kinshasa awaiting trial for more serious international crimes when he was transferred to the ICC.
45. ICC Press Release (January 29, 2004) 'President of Uganda Refers Situation Concerning the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) to the ICC'. Available from: http://www.icc-cpi.int (Accessed: 22 May 2007).
46. Uganda Referral, Unofficial Copy, ICC Document, Referral para. 40.
47. Ibid,.
48. The American Non-Governmental Organizations Coalition for the International Criminal Court; a Program of the United Nations Association of the United States of America, "The Current Investigation by the ICC of the Situation in Northern Uganda" (16 February 2006). Last updated 16 February 2006. Available from: www.amicc.org (Accessed: 16 March 2007).
49. Agence France-Presse (AFP), "Museveni pledges to cooperate with ICC to probe Uganda war crimes" (25 Feb 2004) Available from: http://www.spacewar.com/2004/040225143401.8peoxfh1 .html .
50. The American Non-Governmental Organizations Coalition for the International Criminal Court, see note 44, at 5.
51. M. Arsanjani and M. Reisman, "The Law-in-Action of the International Criminal Court", (Apr., 2005) 99 The American Journal of International Law , 397.
52. Paper on Some Policy Issues before the Office of the Prosecutor, see note 4 above, at 4.
53. See "Eight LRA Agents Arrested", New Vision , (4 August 2004).
54. See also, "UPDF arrests 26 over LRA links", The Monitor, (8 October 2004);
55. "Suspected LRA Rebel Partners Detained", New Vision, (8 October, 2004).
56. See also, "UPDF arrests 26 over LRA links", The Monitor , (8 October 2004);
57. "Suspected LRA Rebel Partners Detained", New Vision, (8 October 2004);
58. "Army Nets 19 LRA Spies", New Vision , (15 October 2004).
59. See further, Human Rights Watch, "Uganda: Security Force Executions Reported", (3 October 2003) available from: http://hrw.org/english/ docs/2003/10/03/uganda6428.htm (Accessed: 10 September 2008).
60. Ibid,.
61. Holmes, see note 12 above, at 49.
62. M. El Zeidy, "The Principle Of Complementarity: A Machinery To Implement International Criminal Law" (Summer, 2002) 23, 4 Michigan Journal of International Law , 884.
63. See Informal Expert Paper: The Principle of Complementarity in Practice, see note 3 above at 14.
64. U.S. Department of State, "Background Note on Uganda" (January 2005) Available from: http://www.State.Gov/R/Pa/Ei/Bgn/2963.htm (Accessed: 16 March 2007).
65. Uganda Referral, see note 45 above, at paras. 24 and 25.
66. C. Cárdenas, "The Admissibility Test Before The International Criminal Court Under Special Consideration of Amnesties And Truth Commissions", in J. Kleffner and G. Kor (eds.), Complementary Views on Complementarity Proceedings of the International Roundtable on the Complementary Nature of the International Criminal Court, Amsterdam 25-26 June 2006 , Cambridge University Press, p. 8.
67. Citizens for Global Solutions, "In Uncharted Waters: Seeking Justice before the Atrocities Have Stopped, The International Criminal Court in Uganda and the Democratic of the Congo" (June 2004), p. 20.
68. See Informal Expert Paper: The Principle of Complementarity in Practice, see note 3 above at 29.
69. H. A. Moy, "Recent Development: The International Criminal Court's Arrest Warrants and Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army: Renewing the Debate Over Amnesty and Complementarity" (Spring, 2006) 19 The Harvard Environmental Law Review , 272.
70. H. A. Moy, "Recent Development: The International Criminal Court's Arrest Warrants and Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army: Renewing the Debate Over Amnesty and Complementarity" (2006) 19 The Harvard Environmental Law Review, Ibid. , at 272.
71. J. Kleffner, "The Impact of Complementarity on National Implementation of Substantive International Criminal Law" (April 2003) 1 Journal of International Criminal Justice , 86-115;
72. F. Lattanzi, "Official Capacities and Immunities" in Antonio Cassese, Paula Gaeta and John R.W.D.Jones (eds.) The Rome Statute of The International Criminal Court: A Commentary (2002) Oxford: Oxford University Press, vol.I, p. 28.
73. The principle ne bis in idem in Article 20 prohibits double criminality for the same conduct and not the same crime. Article 20(1) of the Rome Statue.
74. See Informal Expert Paper: The Principle of Complementarity in Practice, see note 3 above at 29.
75. Uganda Referral, see note 43 above, at para. 30.
76. Ocampo, see note 18 above.
77. Human Rights Watch, 'A Human Rights Watch Briefing Paper: Making Justice Work: Restoration of the Legal System in Ituri, DRC'. Available from: http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/ africa/drc0904/index.htm (Accessed: 23 May 2007).
78. Human Rights Watch, see note 43, at 4.
79. Prosecution's Submission of Further Information and Materials, the Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo , Pre Trial Chamber I, ICC-01/04-01/06 (25 January 2006) paras. 11-12.
80. Human Right Watch, "A Summary of the Case Law of the International Criminal Court" (March 2007), 2.
81. S.O.S Justice, What Justice is there for vulnerable groups in Eastern DRC? (August 2005) Global Rights , 6.
82. S.O.S Justice, What Justice is there for vulnerable groups in Eastern DRC?, (2005), Ibid , at 6.
83. Uganda Referral, see note 45 above, at para. 24 and 25.
84. Southwick, see note 6 above, at 108.
85. Informal Expert Paper: The Principle of Complementarity in Practice, see note 3 above at 29.
86. Arsanjani, and Reisman, see note 50 above, at 397.
87. Holmes, see note 12 above, at 49.
88. Ocampo, see note 18 above.
89. Article 17(3) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, U.N. Doc. A/CONF.183/9.
90. Paper on Some Policy Issues before the Office of the Prosecutor, see note 4 above, at 5.
91. In fact, the ICC has requested Uganda, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to execute the warrants against the indicted LRA leadership. See Kasaija Phillip Apuuli, "The ICC Arrest Warrants for the Lord's Resistance" (1 March 2006) 41 Journal of International Criminal Justice 184.
92. Prosecution's Submission of Further Information and Materials, the Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo , see note 71 above, at para. 8.
93. Article 19(4) of the Rome Statute.
94. Uganda Referral, see note 45 above, at paras. 24 and 25.
95. Certain NGOs Consider That Uganda "Has A Relatively Well Functioning Criminal Justice System..." See The American Non-Governmental Organizations Coalition For The International Criminal Court A Program of the United Nations Association of the United States of American, "ICC: The Current Investigation by the ICC of the Situation in Northern Uganda" (October 18, 2005) Available from: www.amicc.org (Accessed: 8 October 2005).
96. The Informal Paper on the Principle of Complementarity includes a list of factors that would render the system "unavailable". The list does not include the reason stipulated in the Ugandan Referral to render the Ugandan judicial system "unavailable". See Informal Expert Paper: The Principle of Complementarity in Practice, see note 3 above at 29.
97. Preamble of the Rome Statute. Also, Paper on Some Policy Issues before the Office of the Prosecutor, see note 4 above.
98. Southwick, see note 6 above, at 108. Also Arsanjani, and Reisman, see note 47 above, at 395.
99. International Criminal Court, Office of the Prosecutor, JCCD. 'Internal Memorandum: Report on the Referral of the Situation involving the Lord's Resistance Army '. Ug/Anlys/Phase1, p. 6.
100. The Ugandan Referral implies this reality. ICC Referral, "President of Uganda Refers Situation Concerning the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) to the ICC" (29 January 2004) The Hague. Available from: http://www.icc-cpi.int/ php/index.php (Accessed: 21 March 2007).
101. Paper on Some Policy Issues before the Office of the Prosecutor, see note 4 above.
102. Ibid. , at 5.
103. The Preamble of The Statute delineates the primary duty of states to exercise its criminal jurisdiction over International crimes, and the Courts jurisdiction is to complement national jurisdiction. See Preamble, paragraphs 6&10 of the Rome Statute.
104. Prosecution's Submission of Further Information and Materials, the Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo , see note 71 above, at para. 18 and 20.
105. Decision on the Prosecutor's Application for a Warrant of Arrest, Article 58, the Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo , see note 35 above, at para. 33.
106. M. Wetsh'okondo Kosos, "Human Rights and Justice Sector Reform in Africa: Why Congo need the ICC? Date?", Open Society Justice Initiative, 60-61. Available from: www.justiceinitiative. org/db/resource2/fs?..&rand=0. 849487244243 (visited 24 April 2007).
107. Decision on the Prosecutor's Application for a Warrant of Arrest, Article 58, the Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo , see note 35 above, at 20.
108. Decision on the Evidence and Information Provided By the Prosecution For The Issuance of a Warrant of Arrest for Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui Situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pre-Trial Chamber I, the Case of The Prosecutor v. Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui , unsealed on February 12, 2008, ICC-01/04-02/07 ( July 6, 2007) paragraph 21.
109. Decision on the Prosecutor's Application for a Warrant of Arrest, Article 58, the Prosecutor v . Thomas Lubanga Dyilo , see note 35 above, at para. 21.
110. Ibid. , at para. 38.
111. Paper on Some Policy Issues before the Office of the Prosecutor, see note 4 above, at 5.
112. Preamble of the Rome Statute.
113. The International Criminal Court, Office of the Prosecutor (October 18, 2007) Background Information Sheet Situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Case of Germain Katanga. Available from: http://www.icc-cpi.int/library/ cases/ICC-01-04-01-07-BckInfo-ENG.pdf (Accessed: 25 March 2008)
114. W. Schabas, " Complementarity in Practice: Some Uncomplimentarity Thoughts " (23 June 2007) Presentation at the 20 th Anniversary Conference of the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law, Vancouver, p. 20.
115. Ibid,.
116. Paper on Some Policy Issues before the Office of the Prosecutor, see note 4 above.
117. Ibid .
118. Arsanjani, and Reisman, see note 47 above, at 392.
119. Amnesty International (3 February 2006) 'Democratic Republic of Congo: Parliament must reform and enact International Criminal Court bill', AI Index: AFR 62/002/2006. Available from: http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ ENGAFR620022006?open&of=ENG-COD (Accessed: 24 June 2007).
120. See Bassiouni, note 1 above, at 423.
121. Based on the Annex of the Prosecutor Policy Paper on Some Policy Issues before the Office of the Prosecutor, "under the Statute, the Prosecutor relies on co-operation to carry out his investigation, the Prosecutor will in general seek where possible to make this support explicit through a referral". See Paper on Some Policy Issues before the Office of the Prosecutor, see note 4 above, at 4.
122. Paper on Some Policy Issues before the Office of the Prosecutor, see note 4 above, at 5.
123. Agreement On Accountability and Reconciliation; Between The Government of the Republic of Uganda and The Lord's Resistance Army/Movement, Juba Sudan (29 June 2007).
124. Ibid. , at Preamble.
125. Ibid. , at para. 4.
126. Annexure to the Agreement on Accountability and Reconciliation. Agreement On Accountability and Reconciliation; Between The Government of the Republic of Uganda and The Lord's Resistance Army/Movement, Juba Sudan ( 29 June 2007).
127. "Ugandan rebels and the government have agreed to set up a special court to deal with alleged war crimes - one of the obstacles to a final peace deal" (19 February 2008) BBC News. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/ hi/africa/7252774.stm (Accessed: 22 March 2008).
128. According to Human Rights Watch, the Agreement and its Annex are of significant importance, as they include trials for most serious crimes. The success of such accountability efforts will fully depend on serious commitments of the LRA and the Ugandan Government leadership for prosecuting those most responsible for international crimes. See Human Rights Watch, "Analysis of the Annex to the June 29 Agreement on Accountability and Reconciliation" (February 2008).
129. "Ugandan rebel leader postpones peace deal signing", Reuters (1 April 2008).
130. Southwick, see note 6 above, at 109. Also, Arsanjani, and Reisman, see note 47 above, at 397.
131. The International Criminal Court, Office of the Prosecutor 'Annex to the Paper on Some Policy Issues before the Office of the Prosecutor' (2003) ICC-OTP 2003, 4. Available from: http://www .icc-cpi.int/library/organs/otp/030905- Policy-Paper.pdf (Accessed: 8 October 2005).
132. Preamble of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, U.N. Doc. A/CONF.183/9.
133. Claus, see note 32 above, at 947.
134. Human Rights Watch (February 7, 2008) 'ICC/DRC: New War Crimes Suspect Arrested'. Available from: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/02/07/congo17996.htm (Accessed: 24 March 2008).
135. See The ICCNow, Democratic Republic of Congo - Katanga - Ngudjolo Chui Case. Available from: http://www.iccnow.org/?mod=drctimelinekatanga (Accessed 12 May 2009).
136. See the UN Independent Expert on Human Rights for the DRC Titinga Frederic Pacere comments during his visit to the DRC in December 2007. Available from: http://www.reliefweb.int/ rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/EGUA-79LQQF? OpenDocument&RSS20=02-P (Accessed: March 23, 2008).
137. According to EL Zeidy, such a possibility was not completely ruled out in the discussions of the 1995 Ad hoc Committee. See M. El Zeidy, "The Ugandan Government Triggers the First Test of the Complementarity Principle: An Assessment of the First State's Party Referral to the ICC", (2005) 5 International Criminal Law Review 100.
138. The Refugee Law Project's indicates that the Ugandan referral served, among others, two political interests for the Ugandan government; the referral "shifted public and international discourse from the plight of the people affected by the war and the need to end it through peaceful means to discourses on justice and punishing perpetrators of crimes against humanity and war crimes", and the referral represented "a trump card to re-assert democratic credentials at the International level, ones which had been damaged by the failure of Operation Iron Fist ..." See The Refugee Law Project, "The Refugee Law Project's Position Paper on The Announcement of Formal Investigations of The Lord's Resistance Army by The Chief Prosecutor of The International Criminal Court and Its Implications on The Search For Peaceful Solutions To The War in Northern Uganda" (28 July 2004), 1-12. Available from: http://www.refugeelawproject.org/resources/papers/archive/2004/RLP.ICC. investig .pdf (Accessed: 18 September 2006).
139. Practically the burden will fall on all state parties cumulatively through their contribution to the budget of the ICC.