International bounty hunters for war criminals: privatizing the enforcement of justice

Air Force Law Review,  Wntr, 2001  by Christopher M. Supernor

• E-mail
• Print
• Link

United States federal courts have recognized universal jurisdiction over war crimes. Demjanjuk v. Petrovsky, 776 F.2d 571, 583 (6th Cir. 1985), cert. denied, 475 U.S. 1016 (1986). The American Law Institute's Restatement also states that war crimes are subject to universal jurisdiction. RESTATEMENT (THIRD) OF THE FOREIGN RELATIONS LAW OF THE UNITED STATES, [sections] 404 (1987). In 1996, a Spanish judge ruled that crimes against humanity enjoy universal jurisdiction and started a criminal investigation into the torture and murder of Spanish citizens in Argentina. BEIGBEDER, supra note 3, at 133. In 1997, a German court utilized the doctrine of universal jurisdiction to convict a Bosnian Serb for taking part in a massacre of 14 Muslims in Bosnia. Id. at 134. However, French courts have declined to accept universal jurisdiction in a number of cases. Id.

(43.) Mills, supra note 26, at 48 & n.6.

(44.) See GWS, supra note 17, art. 49; GWS at Sea, supra note 17, art. 50; GPW, supra note 17, art. 129; GC, supra note 17, art. 146; BEIGBEDER, supra note 3, at 8.

(45.) UCMJ art. 18.

(46.) UCMJ art. 21.

(47.) War Crimes Act of 1996, 18 U.S.C.A. [sections] 2441(a) (1996).

(48.) The Case of General Pinochet: Universal Jurisdiction and the Absence of Immunity for Crimes Against Humanity, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ON-LINE, http://www.web.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/index/EUR450211998 (visited Mar. 9, 2001) (Amnesty International's Spanish language 1998 third party position paper on General Pinochet's extradition case before the English House of Lords).

(49.) See Charles Trueheart, Rights Activists Cheer Pinochet Precedent, WASH. POST, Jan. 14, 2000, at A22.

(50.) Id.

(51.) See GWS, supra note 17, art. 49; GWS at Sea, supra note 17, art. 50; GPW, supra note 17, art. 129; GC, supra note 17, art. 146; BEIGBEDER, supra note 3, at 8.

(52.) Protocol I, supra note 19, art. 88; Genocide Convention, supra note 25, art. VII. Professor Bassiouni has compiled an extensive list of international criminal law conventions that establish a duty to extradite. M. CHERIF BASSIOUNI, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW 788-800 (1992).

(53.) Principles of International Co-operation in the Detention, Arrest, Extradition and Punishment of Persons Guilty of War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity, G.A. Res. 3074 (XXVIII), 28 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 30) at 78, U.N. Doc. A/9030 (1973); G.A. Res. 2840 (XXVI) 26 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 29), at 88, U.N. Doc. A/8429 (1971); G.A. Res. 95(1), 1 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 2) at 188, U.N. Doc. A164/Add. 1 (1947); Extradition and punishment of War Criminals, G.A. Res. 3, 1 U.N. G.AOR at 9-10, U.N. Doc. A/OR/1-1/R (1946).

(54.) ICTY Statute, supra note 31, art. 29; ICTR Statute, supra note 31, art. 28.

(55.) The efforts of the ICTY have been severely stagnated by its inability to coerce individual states to secure the arrest and detention of high-profile defendants. Penrose, supra note 1, at 353.

(56.) See infra notes 64 through 67 and accompanying text.