Journal of International Criminal Justice Advance Access originally published online on June 13, 2007
Journal of International Criminal Justice 2008 6(1):3-19; doi:10.1093/jicj/mqm026
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Liberal Values in International Criminal Law
A Critique of Erdemovi
* Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, University of Delaware. [ afichte{at}udel.edu]
| Abstract |
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Using the Erdemovi
decision as its starting point, the article examines the philosophical foundations of international criminal law. It asserts that international criminal law, properly understood, represents a liberal legal system, emphasizing the rights of the accused over the interests of the prosecution or the goals of international peace and security. Using the work of Ronald Dworkin, it argues that international jurists should apply principles that invoke a respect for human rights and individual autonomy over policy. Thus, it argues that the reasoning of the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia was flawed when it determined that duress did not constitute a complete defence in Erdemovi
.