International Justice
The International Criminal Court:

Constitutional Compatibility

No immunities for heads of state, transferring one's nationals to an international criminal court, life imprisonment: how will countries who want to join ICC Statute deal with these and other issues that may be not be possible under their national constitutions? This section focuses on the compatibility of the ICC statute with particular constitutional provisions. While constitutions and the issues they give rise to vary, the questions identified in this section are among the most common and the most complex, which have given rise to considerable debate in recent months in capitals around the world.


  • The Compatibility of the ICC Statute with Certain Constitutional Provisions around the Globe,   2000
       English  PDF, 21k       Spanish   PDF, 22k       French (updated on 5/15/2002)  PDF, 22k


  • Human Rights Watch explores the Debate on Constitutional Compatibility with the ICC,   June 2000
       English  PDF, 14k       Spanish   PDF, 15k


  • Human Rights Watch responds to Questions Raised by the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica Regarding the ICC,   2000
       English  PDF, 42k       Spanish   PDF, 47k


  • European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission)
    Report on Constitutional Issues Raised by the Ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court,   December 2000
       English    Francais


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