The Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court: Examining the Legal Landscape Post Bangladesh/Myanmar Decision

Can the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecute nationals of states non-State parties to the Rome Statute in the absence of the United Nations Security Council referral? In Bangladesh/Myanmar, the Pre-Trail Chamber I of the ICC held that it has jurisdiction over the nationals of Myanmar, a stat...

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Main Authors: Muhammet Celal Kul, Hasan Basri Bülbül
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Istanbul University Press 2024-12-01
Series:Public and Private International Law Bulletin
Subjects:
Online Access:https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/67E0C464AAB944CC8E4AE5EAEE6B6387
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author Muhammet Celal Kul
Hasan Basri Bülbül
author_facet Muhammet Celal Kul
Hasan Basri Bülbül
author_sort Muhammet Celal Kul
collection DOAJ
description Can the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecute nationals of states non-State parties to the Rome Statute in the absence of the United Nations Security Council referral? In Bangladesh/Myanmar, the Pre-Trail Chamber I of the ICC held that it has jurisdiction over the nationals of Myanmar, a state not party to the Rome Statute, for the crime of deportation. The Rohingya people, an ethnic and religious minority, have been subjected to serious forms of violence and persecution for decades and were finally forcibly displaced en masse to Bangladesh in August 2017. The fact that part of the crime was completed in Bangladesh, a state party, played a critical role in the Chamber’s decision on jurisdiction. This novel interpretation created an immense debate among international law circles. It has been hailed by some as a step closer to achieving the objectives of universal jurisdiction and putting an end to impunity. On the other hand, some have raised concerns as the ruling seemingly goes against fundamental principles of international law such as the sovereignty of states and pacta tertiis (a treaty only binds parties). Extending beyond what the Rome Statute originally and explicitly set out, the ruling will have serious implications. This article analyses the legal consequences of the judgement by focusing on jurisdiction ratione loci, materie, ratione personae, and temporis. Presenting the circumstances where the jurisdiction of the Court may further expand, it then addresses some risks and opportunities that such an expansion would pose for the development of the international criminal justice system.
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spelling doaj-art-56313a6f31144093b94bb5cd660704ff2025-08-20T02:16:01ZengIstanbul University PressPublic and Private International Law Bulletin2667-41142024-12-0144248751510.26650/ppil.2023.44.2.1429155123456The Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court: Examining the Legal Landscape Post Bangladesh/Myanmar DecisionMuhammet Celal Kul0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9294-3086Hasan Basri Bülbül1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3888-5380Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi, Bolu, TurkiyeBoğaziçi Üniversitesi, İstanbul, TürkiyeCan the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecute nationals of states non-State parties to the Rome Statute in the absence of the United Nations Security Council referral? In Bangladesh/Myanmar, the Pre-Trail Chamber I of the ICC held that it has jurisdiction over the nationals of Myanmar, a state not party to the Rome Statute, for the crime of deportation. The Rohingya people, an ethnic and religious minority, have been subjected to serious forms of violence and persecution for decades and were finally forcibly displaced en masse to Bangladesh in August 2017. The fact that part of the crime was completed in Bangladesh, a state party, played a critical role in the Chamber’s decision on jurisdiction. This novel interpretation created an immense debate among international law circles. It has been hailed by some as a step closer to achieving the objectives of universal jurisdiction and putting an end to impunity. On the other hand, some have raised concerns as the ruling seemingly goes against fundamental principles of international law such as the sovereignty of states and pacta tertiis (a treaty only binds parties). Extending beyond what the Rome Statute originally and explicitly set out, the ruling will have serious implications. This article analyses the legal consequences of the judgement by focusing on jurisdiction ratione loci, materie, ratione personae, and temporis. Presenting the circumstances where the jurisdiction of the Court may further expand, it then addresses some risks and opportunities that such an expansion would pose for the development of the international criminal justice system.https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/67E0C464AAB944CC8E4AE5EAEE6B6387international criminal court (icc)bangladesh/myanmarjurisdictiondeportationforcible transfer of population
spellingShingle Muhammet Celal Kul
Hasan Basri Bülbül
The Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court: Examining the Legal Landscape Post Bangladesh/Myanmar Decision
Public and Private International Law Bulletin
international criminal court (icc)
bangladesh/myanmar
jurisdiction
deportation
forcible transfer of population
title The Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court: Examining the Legal Landscape Post Bangladesh/Myanmar Decision
title_full The Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court: Examining the Legal Landscape Post Bangladesh/Myanmar Decision
title_fullStr The Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court: Examining the Legal Landscape Post Bangladesh/Myanmar Decision
title_full_unstemmed The Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court: Examining the Legal Landscape Post Bangladesh/Myanmar Decision
title_short The Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court: Examining the Legal Landscape Post Bangladesh/Myanmar Decision
title_sort jurisdiction of the international criminal court examining the legal landscape post bangladesh myanmar decision
topic international criminal court (icc)
bangladesh/myanmar
jurisdiction
deportation
forcible transfer of population
url https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/67E0C464AAB944CC8E4AE5EAEE6B6387
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