- 19 Apr 2017
MEI Transsystemic Law Cluster: International Criminal Law in the Middle East: A Practitioner’s Perspective.
(This event is organised by MEI’s Transsystemic Law Research Cluster, as part of its quarterly public speakers series.)
Abstract
The Arab Spring initially held great promise. And yet, national disintegration, disorder and widespread violations have followed. Holding those responsible and accountable nationally and internationally has been markedly limited. The reach and effectiveness of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as well as regional and national courts has for different reasons been curtailed. The experiences of several countries will be considered through the litigation and cases that have arisen, including from Egypt, Libya, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Sudan. From a practitioner’s point of view it has proved very difficult to promote justice and redress for those who have suffered human rights breaches and been subjected to international crimes. Those accused of crimes have also in particular instances had their fair trial and due process rights ignored. There appears to be little international will to ensure that impunity is ended. A comparative analysis of case law from the Middle East and other regions will show the inconsistencies in the jurisprudence and the need for common and principled standards of international justice to be developed. The means by which these challenges can be addressed and international criminal law can be implemented in the Middle East in practice will be explored. The twin priorities of strengthening national criminal justice systems while also guaranteeing the ICC’s central role in the region will be emphasised in the interests of safeguarding the international rule of law.
About the Speakers
Rodney Dixon QC practises both internationally and domestically in the fields of international law, public law, and human rights. He acts on behalf of Governments, political leaders, military commanders, international organisations, companies, NGOs, and victims. He specialises in public international law and international criminal law before all international, regional and national courts. His international work covers Privy Council cases, bilateral investment treaties and arbitration, border disputes, international claims, and private international law matters.
He began his legal career in South Africa as an attorney, graduating with an LLB from Rhodes University, South Africa. His LLM in International Law is from Notre Dame University, USA. Subsequently, he was appointed Legal Adviser in the Office of the Prosecutor of the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, The Hague, from 1995 to 1999. He transferred to the English Bar in 2000 and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2014. He has been a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at King’s College London and an Honorary Lecturer in International Law at the University of Utrecht. He was appointed onto the Attorney-General’s Panel of Civil Advocates.
He has published widely including as the co-author of Archbold International on International Courts. He is regularly interviewed on BBC, SKY News, and Al Jazeera as an international law expert covering the situations in countries throughout the world including the Middle East.
