This unique two-volume work seeks for the first time to address in a comprehensive fashion both substantive and procedural aspects of international criminal law as applied by international and national courts. Substantive topics include individual criminal responsibility, genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes against UN and associated personnel, core crimes and defenses, while procedural aspects include the right of suspects and accused, the protection of victims and witnesses, and pre-trial, trial and appeal procedures and practices. In addressing these subjects the work focuses on the practical application of the relevant norms and provides both detailed commentaries by experts in the field (Commentary volume), as well as the underlying documentation for each of the topics addressed (Documents and Cases volume). With the establishment of the International Criminal Court, the experiences of other international courts, notably the ad hoc tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda as well as their predecessors, in addressing these issues are of great value and this work is intended to assist practitioners and scholars alike.
Additionally, because national courts still have a vital role to play in the application of these norms, attention is given to prosecutions in national jurisdictions. With this work the editors seek both to assist the reader in understanding these important concepts as well as to provide the background documentation such that the reader can conduct his or her own research and come to his or her own conclusions.