Modes of Liability in International Criminal Law

Modes of liability and criminal responsibility in general, have been vigorously debated in academia and by legal practitioners for decades.

The most senior political and military figures in any given context are almost invariably not the people ‘pulling the trigger’. As such, questions on criminal responsibility are pertinent. Is a business executive complicit for genocide for trading chemicals with a regime suspected of using chemical weapons against civilians? Can a military commander be criminally liable when he or she did not commit crimes but failed to prevent them? To what extent are political leaders criminally liable for crimes committed by those in the lower echelons of government?

The new book Modes of Liability in International Criminal Law (Cambridge University Press) edited by Jérôme de Hemptinne, Robert Roth and Elies van Sliedregt precisely intends to clarify the conditions of accountability for international crimes.

Under the Auspices of the Geneva Academy

The publication is based on research undertaken under the auspices of the Geneva Academy, that was coordinated by Jérôme de Hemptinne (at the time Researcher at the Geneva Academy) and Robert Roth (at the time Director of the Geneva Academy). It is co-edited with Elies van Sliedregt (University of Leeds).

AUTHORS

Picture of Jérôme de Hemptinne

Jérôme de Hemptinne

Lecturer at the University of Louvain, Sciences-Po Paris, and the University Catholic of Lille

Jérôme de Hemptinne's research focuses on modes of liability for international crimes, the qualification of armed conflicts and institutional aspects of international criminal courts and tribunals.

Picture of Robert Roth

Robert Roth

Robert Roth is a leading expert on international criminal justice and international criminal law, as well as human rights, and has published extensively on these issues.

Elies van Sliedregt

NEWS AND EVENTS

Sculpture realized to illustrate thre UDHR News

New Book Clarifies the Modes of Liability for International Crimes

30 September 2019

The book Modes of Liability in International Criminal Law, based on research undertaken under the auspices of the Geneva Academy intends to clarify the conditions of accountability for international crimes.

Read more >

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

Destuction in eastern Ukraine News

Referendums on Joining Russia in Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson: What Impact on Conflicts Classification?

10 October 2022

Our Research Fellow Dr Chiara Redaelli tells us whether these referendums will affect our RULAC classification of the armed conflicts that are currently taking place in Ukraine.

Read more

Portrait of Nataliia Hendel News

Ukrainian IHL Professor Hosted at the Geneva Academy

31 October 2022

The Geneva Academy is hosting during a year Dr Nataliia Hendel, a Professor of international law at the International Humanitarian University in Odesa, Ukraine, and an expert in IHL.

Read more

Portrait of Professor Chiara Giorgetti Event

International Law Responses to Russia’s Aggression – Building an International Reparation Mechanism for Ukraine

18 April 2023, 18:30-21:00

In this lecture organized with the MIDS, Professor Chiara Giorgetti will discuss current efforts to create a reparation mechanism for Ukraine in order to hold Russia liable for its violations of international law.

Read more

An explosion from an air bomb in the center of the city of Kharkov, the metro station Constitution Square, March 2022 Event

Special Tribunal for Aggression: Worth the Risk(s)?

29 March 2023, 18:30-20:00

This IHL Talk will explore various issues related to the potential establishment of a 'Special Tribunal for Aggression' and will discuss whether it is the best or most appropriate option to make sure that the crime of aggression does not go unpunished.

Read more

Afghanistan, Parwan detention facility. Inside a room where detainees of the prison, separated by an acrylic glass, are allowed to meet with their families a couple of times per year with the help of the ICRC employees who facilitate the programme. Short Course

Preventing and Combating Terrorism

27 April - 8 June 2023

This online short course discusses the extent to which states may limit and/or derogate from their international human rights obligations in order to prevent and counter-terrorism and thus protect persons under their jurisdiction.

Read more

22 March 2022, Maxime Jeoffroy Eli Mokom Gawaka (“Mr Mokom”) appeared before Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court ( Short Course

Accountability for Atrocity Crimes

5-30 May 2023

This online short course examines and discusses the main criminal jurisdictions fostering individual legal accountability for international crimes.

Read more

Screen Shot of Obsolete, a game made for the 7DFPS project in 7 days. Download for PC and Mac Project

Disruptive Military Technologies

Started in February 2020

This project aims at staying abreast of the various military technology trends; promoting legal and policy debate on new military technologies; and furthering the understanding of the convergent effects of different technological trends shaping the digital battlefield of the future.

Read more

Central African Republic, Ouham province, village of Ouogo. International Humanitarian Law dissemination session to members of the Peoples' Army for the Restoration of Democracy. Project

From Words to Deeds: A Study of Armed Non-State Actors’ Practice and Interpretation of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Norms

Completed in January 2017

This project aimed at compiling and analysing the practice and interpretation of selected international humanitarian law and human rights norms by armed non-state actors (ANSAs). It had a pragmatic double objective: first, to offer a comparative analysis of IHL and human rights norms from the perspective of ANSAs, and second, to inform strategies of humanitarian engagement with ANSAs, in particular the content of a possible ‘Model Code of Conduct’.

Read more

Cover page of the study Publication

From Words to Deeds A Study of Armed Non-State Actors’ Practice and Interpretation of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Norms: Research and Policy Conclusions

published on September 2022

Annyssa Bellal, Pascal Bongard, Ezequiel Heffes

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

From Words to Deeds: A Study of Armed Non-State Actors’ Practice and Interpretation of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Norms: Al-Qaeda

published on September 2022

Annyssa Bellal, Pascal Bongard and Ezequiel Heffes

Read more