Journal of International Criminal Justice

JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE

PRIZE

The Editorial Board of the Journal of International Criminal Justice is pleased to award the JICJ-Giorgio La Pira Prize for 2008 (made possible by the generous contributions of Oxford University Press and Regione Toscana) to Nehal Bhuta, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Toronto, for his essay, ‘Fatal Errors: The Trial and Appeal Judgments in the Dujail Case’, 6 JICJ (2008) 39–65.

In awarding the prize to Professor Bhuta, the Board wished to recognize how serious legal discourse can nevertheless deal impartially, and even-handedly, with politically charged legal issues. The Board commends Professor Bhuta for tackling a highly sensitive case (the trial, appeal and execution of Saddam Hussein) in a clear, dispassionate tone, skilfully raising and discussing juridical problems in a critical and indeed exemplary manner.

Professor Bhuta received the prize at a public meeting organized at the seat of the Regione Toscana in Florence on 19 January 2009. Mr Antonio Intelisano, Chief Military Prosecutor, Rome, delivered an address on ‘War Crimes: Between History and Politics’. In attendance at the ceremony were the Vice-President of the Regione Toscana, the Right Honourable Federico Gelli, the Editor-in-chief of the Journal, Professor Antonio Cassese, OUP officials, some members of the Journal's Board of Editors and Editorial Committee (including Professor Paola Gaeta, Professor Florian Jessberger, Dr James Stewart and Professor Salvatore Zappalà), as well as prosecutors, judges and university professors of law.