PSIA Seminar: Government Failure, Atrocity Crimes and the Role of the International Criminal Court: Why not Syria, but Libya

Speaker: Hovhannes Nikoghosyan, PSIA Adjunct Lecturer

http://psia.aua.am/psia-seminars/

The Chapter VII resolutions on Libya by the United Nations Security Council (2011) and the UNSC-approved French-led intervention in Mali (2013) and the absence of a consensus on Syria ever since the popular uprising have reminded us of the ‘why-not-Rwanda-but-Kosovo’ type of a challenge used to identify the objective determinants for the trans-boundary use of force to stop mass atrocity crimes. The author adopts a legalistic approach in finding ways to pursue consensus on R2P Pillar Three operations; and through the available state practice and body of international law in general. He illustrates the normative progress to argue that a sound foundation has emerged to suggest that genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and ethnic cleansings are of erga omnes character wherever they happen; whereas the International Criminal Court has been emerging as a capable and legitimate institution for bringing the most odious perpetrators to justice and providing legal background for the use of force against ‘manifestly failed’ governments.

This event is in English. No interpretation will be provided. This event is open to public.