Defenses to War Crimes: A Conceptual Overview

Abstract:     
As international criminal law continues to grow in importance, defenses to charges of war crimes are taking on a generic standardization that covers prosecutions in national courts as well as in international tribunals. This paper briefly discusses the most important defenses and their theoretical interconnections. Substantive defenses include superior orders, command responsibility, tu quoque, military necessity, proportionality, and reprisals. Jurisdictional defenses applicable in national tribunals include personal jurisdiction, subject-matter jurisdiction, and double jeopardy.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 24

working papers series