NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Prière de bien vouloir noter que suite au déménagement du Centre Grotius, nos coordonnées ont été modifiées: tel +31(0)6-52337216, ou +31 (0)6-46755752; fax +31 (0)71-5278223. The Lecture is held on Monday 20 September from 17:00-19:00 hrs at Campus The Hague. The lecture is followed by a drinks reception. Please announce your attendance by sending an e-mail to grotiuscentre@campusdenhaag.nl.
On 4 February, Dr. Thomas Skouteris launched his book: ‘The Notion of Progress in International Law Discourse’, which is a result of research carried out for his Ph.D. at Judge Bruno Simma, Member of the International Court of Justice, commended Dr. Skouteris on his ability to create a highly theoretical framework of post-modernist approaches accessible to generations of lawyers, old and new alike. Prof. Rikki Holtmaat of The volume provides a fresh perspective on the notion of progress in international law today. Dr. Skouteris explained that the purpose of his book was simply to raise awareness of the fact that ‘progress does not have an objective content or meaning’; rather, progress is ‘only determined by those people who have the power to set the tone’ and that, in fact, ‘one person’s progress is another person’s regression’.
On 25 January, Dr. The collective volume provides a fresh perspective on the foundation and contemporary challenges of international criminal law. Prof. Dr. Kai Ambos praised the quality of the contributions by established academics and younger scholars which explore new avenues in the thinking and conceptualisation of international criminal justice. He stressed that the book makes an important contribution to the field in a number of areas: criminology, system criminality, substantive criminal law and criminal procedure. He argued that the book succeeds in connecting generations of scholars and different legal traditions, and in linking academic theory with the everyday practice of international criminal law. Mr. Phillip van Tongeren, Director of T.M.C. Asser Press, expressed his appreciation of the fruitful cooperation with editors and authors on this pioneering work. Dr.
Grotius Centre trains personnel International Criminal Court
The Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies (University Leiden, Campus Den Haag) delivers training to personnel of the International Criminal Court. The training session was opened by Prof. John Vervaele, Vice-Dean of Utrecht Law School, Joel Rache ICC Learning and Development Officer and Carsten Stahn, Programme Director of the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies. The trainers include a group of international renowned professors in international criminal law: Kai Ambos (Georg-August-University of Göttingen), Claus Kress (University of Cologne) and Terry Gill (Dutch Defence Academy). During 5 days the participants deepen their academic insights in key elements like modes of liability, structure of international crimes and a deep analysis of the elements of important crimes like Genocide.
Professor Pierre d'Argent opens the fourth Marie Curie Research Course Professor Pierre d'Argent, Université catholique de Louvain and First Secretary of the International Court of Justice has opened de fourth Marie Curie Research Course by giving an opening lecture on "Connecting Different Legal Orders" on the 19th of October. The Marie Curie Research Course, which deals with International Criminal Law and Legal Pluralism, will last for two weeks, and aims at enabling researchers from multiple jurisdictions to publish an article in an edited volume. Speakers during the next two weeks include Professor Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (former NATO Secretray General), Cédric Ryngaert, Rod Rastan and Professor Hector Olasolo. Read more.
Grotius Centre presents Right to Development report during Human Rights Council side event On Thursday 17 September, professor Nico Schrijver and Anna Gouwenberg LL.M presented their report on 'The legal implementation of the right to development' at a side event to the 12th session of the Human Rights Council. The report was written upon request of the Permanent Representation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN in Geneva. The side event was organized by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and the Dutch Permanent Representation to the UN. The panelists were professor Georges Abi-Saab, professor of International Law at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva and former judge ad hoc at the International Court of Justice and the WTO Appelate Body; Jean-Pierre Chauffour, lead economist at the World Bank and author of the book The Power of Freedom: uniting development and human rights; Stephen Marks, professor at Harvard University and chair of the High-level Task Force on the implementation of the right to development; professor Nico Schrijver, Academic Director of the Grotius Centre and member of the High-level Task Force; and Anna Gouwenberg LL.M, research assistant at the Grotius Centre and author of the report The legal implementation of the right to development. In their contributions, various views on the future of the right to development were expressed, mainly in view of the current discussions within the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council on the possibility to work towards elaborating a legally binding instrument on the right to development. Chauffour essentially pointed out the shortcomings of the right. Professor Abi-Saab gave an overview of the development of the right, the initial ideas behind the concept and the need for a legal definition. Professor Schrijver and Anna Gouwenberg discussed the various avenues for integrating the right in international law. In doing so, they emphasized the possibility of formulating guidelines for implementation as opposed to the formulation of a new human rights convention.
You can download the full report on 'The legal implementation of the right to development' when you scroll to the bottom of this page.
The book launch was organised to celebrate the new academic year and the opening of the LL.M. Advanced programme in Public International Law.
Invitation and Call for papers for Research Conference on the ICC and Complementarity
Read the full programme (pdf).
Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies receives NWO grant for research project on ‘Post-conflict-justice and local ownership’ Dr. Carsten Stahn, Programme Director of the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies, Campus The Hague, Leiden University and Associate Professor of International Criminal Law at Leiden, and co-applicant Dr. Larissa van den Herik (Associate Professor of Grotius Centre and Leiden University) received a grant of 480.000 Euro from The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) for an interdisciplinary research project on “Post-conflict-justice and local ownership’’.
The grant was awarded in the thematic call on Conflict & Security of the NW0, which is designed to “build and test theory on conflict, and […] to provide society with perspectives and evidence-based tools necessary to adequately diagnose, manage and benefit from the conflict it faces.” The project was selected among ten other proposals out of pool of 93 applications. The project has a duration of four years, and will involve research and testing of the (i) the design and management of external judicial intervention, (ii) the societal impact of international criminal justice and (iii) techniques used to strengthen capacity-building and domestic empowerment in post-conflict situations. The international selection committee noted that the project marks “an interesting interdisciplinary project on a highly relevant issue: local ownership, which can be understood both as how justice in the tribunals is transmitted to national law as well as how the justice is accepted by the civil society“ and which is “thus far […] not well understood” Dr. Stahn said: "We are very pleased to receive this grant which allows the Grotius Centre, together with leading international and local cooperation partners on the ground, to analyse and review the critical link between external judicial intervention and domestic stakeholders in societies affected by conflict”. Earlier this year, Dr. Stahn received the prestigious Ciardi Prize for his book ‘Law and practice of International Territorial Administration: From
Book launch Post-conflict Administrations in International Law
The book was introduced by Mr. Hans Wesseling, Deputy Director of Peace building and Stabilisation, Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and commented by Professor Dr Pierre d'Argent, First Secretary, International Court of Justice. Eric De Brabandere is Lecturer in International Law at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies (Campus Den Haag,
Bilingual Summer School on International Criminal Law 2009
The Bilingual Summer School 2009 took place from June 22nd to the 3rd of July. The programme listed speakers as Judge Bruno Simma, Philippe Kirsch, Professor Eric David and Dame Rosalyn Higgins, winner of the Hague Prize 2009. It furthermore included practical excercises such as a Moot Court and a cross-examination exercise. Please click here for an impression of the Summer School. More information and the registration forms for our summer course on international criminal law in 2010 will be listed soon.
On JCE and ‘Grotian Moments’
In his lecture, Professor Scharf argued that the concept of JCE is crucial to try senior leaders responsible for large scale and mass crimes in
For further information on Prof. Scharf’s work, see his blog.
Ciardi 2009 Book Prize awarded to Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies’ Programme Director
The award is a scientific prize rewarding a “substantial and original study dealing with military law, the law of war or any matter connected with or related to the aforementioned”. The prize was awarded with the unanimous congratulations of the jury in The book was published in May 2008 in Cambridge’s prestigious Series of Studies in International and Comparative Law. It analyses the legal and policy challenges arising in the administration of territories by international actors, covering all experiments from the Treaty of Versailles to contemporary engagements such as the conflict in Iraq. For further information contact cstahn@campusdenhaag.nl. Grotius Centre trains future generation of international criminal law practitioners
Serving as Counsel, Prosecutor or lawyer before international criminal courts and tribunals requires specific knowledge and skills. The Grotius Centre held a specialised training course from 18 to 21 February in Combining state-of-the-art lectures with an interactive learning environment To serve as a counsel or prosecutor before an international judicial body entails advanced advocacy skills, specific knowledge of substantive and procedural international criminal law. To be a successful litigant one needs an understanding of the interplay of different legal traditions in the context of international criminal litigation. During fours days of intensive learning and interaction, high-level participants from
The course included practice-oriented lectures from experts on prosecution practice, examination-in-chief, modes of liability, victim representation, testimony as well as defences. Training sessions and exercises were focused on the filling of motions, expert witness testimony, cross-examination, opening statements and closing arguments.
First-Hand Expertise The course was developed and held by the Grotius Centre in cooperation with two distinguished practitioners Stéphane Bourgon, Defence Counsel before the ICTY and Michael Karnavas, President of Association of Defence Counsel ICTY. Speakers on individual topics included Virginia Lindsay (Counsel ICTY), Paolina Massidda (Counsel for Victims, ICC),
Conference on Diversification and Fragmentation of International Criminal Law On 21 March 2009 the Grotius Centre, in the framework of its research agenda on Fragmentation, organised a Follow-up Conference to the 23 October 2008 Introductory Conference. This time the program focuses on Fragmentation and Judicial Dialogue and International Criminal Law and Cultural Diversity. Speakers included H.E. Judge Liu Daqun, ICTY, H.E. Judge Frederic Harhoff, ICTY, Prof. Leila Sadat,
Signature of Covenant between Faculty of Law and Campus The Hague – Mayor of The Hague receives First copy of book on International Criminal Court On Thursday 22 January 2009, the Faculty of Law and Campus The Hague have signed a Covenant relating to the Grotius Centre for International Studies, in order to strengthen their collaboration in the field of international law. Leiden University and the Campus hereby confirm their commitment and link to The Hague as ‘City of Peace and Justice’. The Covenant marks an important moment in the history of the Grotius Centre. It provides an organisational umbrella for the relationship between the Campus and Leiden University in the area of international law. It gives the Centre a firm place in the landscape of academic institutions in The Hague. At this occasion, Mayor Jozias van Aartsen received the first copy of the book "The Emerging Practice of the International Criminal Court" (Martinus Nijhoff, 2009) from Carsten Stahn, the Programme Director of the Grotius Centre. The book is the result of a special cooperation between the Grotius Centre, the University of Amsterdam and the International Criminal Court. It analyses the first jurisprudence and policies of the Court. Judge Hans-Peter Kaul introduced the book at the launch and praised as it as an important new contribution to scholarship on the Court.
The Grotius Centre held the very first Trial Advocacy Training Course in International Criminal Law, in
The Grotius Centre organised the International Conference on The United Nations and the Evolution of Global Values at the Peace Palace on 11 and 12 December 2008. Please click here for more information.
Transatlantic and interdisciplinary perspectives on International Criminal Justice During a visit to Boston (14-18 Nov. 2008), Grotius Centre Programme Director and Leiden Associate Professor Dr Stahn addressed peace-related and interdisciplinary challenges of international criminal law. Dr Stahn spoke on the relationship between the International Criminal Court and United Nations Peace Operations at an International Symposium on International Criminal Justice, hosted by the Fletcher School on Law and Diplomacy and University Paris II. He argued that the Court should not be perceived as a threat to peacekeeping operations, but as an instrument to mitigate accountability gaps and to protect peacekeepers. He devoted specific attention to the benefits and challenges of the war crime of attacks on peacekeeping missions.Dr Stahn also gave an address in the Annual Lecture Series of Boston University’s Institute on Philosophy and Religion on dilemmas of post-conflict justice and individual criminal responsibility. He highlighted different approaches in just war theory and international law towards justice after war (“jus post bellum”) and their implications for the relationship between individual and collective responsibility. He argued that individual responsibility may ensure greater and fairer accountability in situations of transition, but must stay weary of its own goals and limitations in order to address the dilemmas of post-conflict justice.
''Free at Last'', sculpture at the Boston University's Marsh Plaza, memorial to the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Prof. Triffterer's address on rights of the Defence in ICC proceedings On 30 October 2008, Prof. Otto Triffterer (Professor of Austrian and International Criminal Law in Salzburg and Editor of the Commentary on the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, 2nded 2008) gave a special lecture at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies (The Hague) on the status and rights of the Defence in pre-trial proceedings of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Please click here for more information.
Please click here for further information.
On 21 October, Judge Thomas Buergenthal delivered the opening lecture of the Adv. LL.M. Programme which is part of the John Dugard Lecture Series: "Contemporary significance of international human rights law" Judge Buergenthal recently published his autobiography ''A lucky child: How a little boy survived two ghettos, Auschwitz and the death march and found a new life". Please click here
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Report The legal implementation of the right to development |
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On Monday 20 September, Prof. Hugh Thirlway, former Principal Legal Secretary at the International Court of Justice, will give the lecture '
Book Launch "The Notion of Progress in International Law Discourse"
Book Launch .JPG)
On July 6 Eric De Brabandere lauched his book on Post-conflict Administrations in International Law (Martinus Nijhoff, 2009) at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies. 
On 29 June 2009, Case Western Reserve University Professor Michael Scharf delivered a lecture on Joint Criminal Enterprise (JCE) (‘To JCE or not JCE at the Cambodian Tribunal’) within the framework of the Supranational Criminal Law Lecture Series, hosted by the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies, the T.M.C. Asser Institute and the Coalition for the International Criminal Court.
On 8 May 2009, Dr Carsten Stahn received the 2009 Ciardi Prize for his book on the “Law and practice of International Territorial Administration: From Versailles to Iraq and Beyond” (Cambridge University Press, 2008).
