The Grotius Centre successfully concludes the 2010 bilingual Summer School           Left: students in the Aula; Right: Phillipe Kirsch after opening the Summer School, dr. Carsten Stahn From 21 June 2010 to 2 July 2010 the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies held its eight edition of the Summer School on International Criminal Law. Phillipe Kirsch, former president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) opened the Summer School. Other speakers included: Professor Eric David, Professor William Schabas and Hirad Abtahi (first legal advisor to the Presindency of the ICC).  Forty-six participants attended this two-week bilingual program, lectures were given in French or English (simultaneous translation was provided throughout the course). The program was structured around four main themes: 1-International courts and tribunals; 2-Substantive international criminal law: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression; 3-General principles: modes of liability, the role of victims, the rights of the accused; 4-Enforcement: jurisdiction and complementarity. Further, an exercise session on cross-examination techniques as well as a Moot Court formed part of the program. Read more.. Launch of 'Archbold International Criminal Courts' at Grotius Centre dr. Carsten Stahn, cA.A. Khan, judge sir Adrian Fulford and Rodney Dixon On Thursday 20 May 2010, the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies hosted the book launch of the 3rd Edition of ‘Archbold International Criminal Courts; Practice, Procedure & Evidence’. On invitation of Judge Sir Adrian Fulford (Consultant Editor), Karim A.A. Khan and Rodney Dixon (authors), many members of The Hague’s international legal community gathered in the Auditorium of Campus Den Haag for the reception. The distinguished audience, comprised of many judges and staff members of the ICC, ICTY, SCSL and the STL, was addressed by dr. Carsten Stahn, Programme Director of the Grotius Centre, and Sir Adrian Fulford, judge at the International Criminal Court and Consultant Editor of the book. Click here for the full text of the address by Judge Fulford... Minister Verhagen receives Leiden Policy Recommendations On Thursday 1 April 2010, Dr. Larissa van den Herik and Professor Nico Schrijver presented to Minister Verhagen the Leiden Policy Recommendations on Counter-terrorism and International Law. The Leiden Policy Recommendations are the result of a three-year project, which the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies of Leiden University and Campus The Hague organised with the full support of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Read more...  Grotius Centre trains ICC staff members The Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies (University Leiden, Campus Den Haag) has provided legal training to staff members of the International Criminal Court. The training session was opened by Prof. John Vervaele, Vice-Dean of Utrecht Law School, Joel Rache, Learning and Development Officer at the ICC, and Carsten Stahn, Programme Director of the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies. Read more...   Post-Conflict and Local Ownership: The Role of the International Community in Colombia’s Transitional Justice Process On Thursday 29 October the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies, in conjunction with the Embassy of the Republic of Colombia, hosted a lecture by Mr. Marco Alvarez.  Mr. Alvarez spoke in his capacity as Head of the Colombian Peace Process Support Mission, of the Organization of American States. The topic of the lecture: ‘The Role of the International Community in Colombia’s Transitional Justice Process’. A report on this lecture will soon be available here. Conference on The ICC and Complementarity On 15/16 September 2009, the Grotius Centre held an interdisciplinary research conference on the theme of complementarity at the Peace Palace and Campus The Hague. The Conference brought together Hague officials, researchers, members of the diplomatic community and NGOs to discuss the relationship between the ICC and domestic jurisdictions. Read the full report.... Right to Development Report presented at Human Rights Council 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.  Read more...  John Bellinger lectures on “International Law Opportunities and Challenges for the Obama Administration: From Closing Guantanamo to Engaging the International Criminal Court” Bellinger opened his lecture at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies (Leiden University, Campus The Hague) by expressing the concerns he felt during his time as Legal Advisor to the U.S. Department of State over the negative perceptions of the international community of the United States’ attitude towards international law.  He asserted that the second term of the Bush administration saw an improvement in its attitude towards international law. As an example, he noted that the 90 treaties being approved by the Senate, with encouragement from the U.S. Department of State, are more than at any other time in United States’ history.  Read more... Celebrating the 11th anniversary of the Rome Statute Eleven years ago, on 17 July 1998, the ICC founding treaty, the Rome Statute, was adopted at the historic Rome Conference. July 17 is now celebrated around the world as International Justice Day. On this occasion, the Coalition for the International Criminal Court in collaboration with The Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies (Leiden University, Campus The Hague) and the T.M.C. Asser Institute hosted a moderated panel discussion followed by a question-and-answer session titled "International Justice Day: Celebrating the 11th Anniversary of the Rome Statute". Opening remarks were delivered by Judge Hans-Peter Kaul (Germany), ICC Second Vice-President. Read more...

What's new? 20 September: John Dugard Lecture by Prof. Hugh Thirlway Training Course: Advocacy and Litigation before International Criminal Courts and Tribunals