Summer Schools

International Criminal Court:

Tenth International Criminal Court Summer School held at the ICHR

The Irish Centre for Human Rights held its tenth annual International Criminal Court Summer School this year from 20-25 June 2009. The International Criminal Court is arguably one of the most important international institutions formed since the establishment of the United Nations. The court is aimed at combating impunity for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The Centre’s Director, Professor William A. Schabas, observes that the summer school "has established itself as one of the premier intensive courses on the subject offered anywhere in the world". Indeed, this year’s course comprehensively covered each aspect of the court including its establishment, its applicable law, structures and operations, recent developments and key challenges.

Participants at the summer school were addressed by a host of key international experts in international criminal law including the President of the International Criminal Court, Judge Snag-Hyun Song who delivered the keynote address on the opening day. Other prominent speakers included Judge Kimberly Prost, Ad-Litem Judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia; Mr. David Tolbert, Registrar, Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Prof. David Scheffer, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for International Human Rights at Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Fabricio Guariglia, Office of the Prosecutor (OTP), International Criminal Court, Dr. Guenael Mettraux, Defence Counsel, ICTY

Apart from a rigorous teaching program, participants enjoyed a screening of the film ’Judgment at Nuremberg’ and they also had the chance to unwind with a boat cruise on Lake Corrib and a half-day trip to the Aran Islands.

The Irish Centre for Human Rights would like to extend its thanks to all of the guest speakers and to the participants who made it a thoroughly enjoyable week.

Eighth International Criminal Court Summer School held at the ICHR

The Irish Centre for Human Rights held its eighth annual International Criminal Court Summer School this year from 11-16 June 2007. The International Criminal Court is arguably one of the most important international institutions formed since the establishment of the United Nations. The court is aimed at combating impunity for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Pictured above: John McManus, Judge Kimberly Prost, Professor William A. Schabas, Professor Sharon A. Williams and Professor Michael Scharf during the panel discussion on ’Recent Developments and Key Challenges’ at the ICC Summer School.

The Centre’s Director, Professor William A. Schabas, observes that the summer school "has established itself as one of the premier intensive courses on the subject offered anywhere in the world". Indeed, this year’s course comprehensively covered each aspect of the court including its establishment, its applicable law, structures and operations, recent developments and key challenges.

Participants at the summer school were addressed by a host of key international experts in criminal law including Judge Snag-Hyun Song, Appeals Division of the International Criminal Court, who delivered the keynote address on the opening night. Other prominent speakers included Judge Kimberly Prost, Ad-Litem Judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia; David Tolbert, Deputy Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia; Professor Michael Scharf, Director of the Frederick K. Cox International Law Center;

Apart from a rigorous teaching Programme, a simulated trial was held at Galway Courthouse and participants enjoyed a screening of the film ’Judgment at Nuremberg’. Participants and faculty also had the chance to unwind with a boat cruise on Lake Corrib and a half-day trip to the Aran Islands.

The Irish Centre for Human Rights would like to extend its thanks to all of the guest speakers and to the participants who made it a thoroughly enjoyable week.

International Criminal Court Summer School Materials

• Professor William A. Schabas, "First Prosecutions at the ICC"

• Professor Michael Scharf, "From the eXile Files:  An Essay on Trading Justice for Peace"

• Professor Michael Scharf, "Chaos in the Courtroom: Controlling Disruptive Defendants and Contumacious Counsel in War Crimes Trials"

International Criminal Court Summer School Relevant Cases

• The Prosecutor v Thomas Lubanga Dyilo
  • Decision on the confirmation of charges
  • Decision on the Prosecution and Defence applications for leave to appeal the Decision on the confirmation of charges
  • Judgment on the Prosecutor's Application for Extraordinary Review of Pre-Trial Chamber I's 31 March 2006 Decision Denying Leave to Appeal
  • Decision on the Practice of Witness Familiarisation and Witness Proofing

Presentations at the ICC Summer School 2005

• Genocide: ’The Odious Scourge' by Prof. William Schabas (Powerpoint document)
• Fair Trial Rights by Megan Fairlie (Powerpoint document)
• Sentencing and Victims and Witnesses by Rupert Skilbeck (Acrobat PDF document)
• The International Criminal Court: Fighting Impunity in the 21st Century by Judge Sang-Hyun Song (Powerpoint document)

Minority Rights Summer School:

Minority Rights Summer 2007

The Irish Centre for Human Rights held its 7th annual summer school on Minority issues, Indigenous peoples and Human Rights Law from 17-22 June 2007.

The aim of the programme is to provide participants with an overview of the legal, political and philosophical issues pertaining to international human rights law and its relationship to minority rights and the rights of indigenous peoples.

During the week long residential course participants seek to understand, assimilate and critically evaluate legal arguments with respect to the international minority rights regime and how it pertains to minorities and indigenous peoples. In addition they are encouraged to analyze the underlying philosophical basis within the discourse and to become familiar with current debates and cases with a special focus on issues such as the right to land, affirmative action policies, and effective political participation and restitution.

“If you want to understand how successful a human rights regime in any given country is, you could do worse than examine the extent to which minorities in that country are protected. This is as true in Sudan as in Ireland,” said Professor Joshua Castellino, from the Transitional Justice Institute, University of Ulster, who founded the Minority Rights Summer School during his time at the Irish Centre for Human Rights from 2000-2006.

“The course has a strong reputation for being able to address the issues underlying the startling headlines of global affairs. A range of world class experts have been able to provide insights into the schisms in different societies that lead to conflict and the ensuing human misery associated with it. The great mix of nationalities, professions and perspectives of the speakers has always made the course a must-attend for those interested in global affairs and human rights.”

Participants at the 2007 summer school were addressed by international experts on minority rights including Professor Castellino, Professor Michael Flaherty, University of Nottingham, who was the first Irish member of the UN Human Rights Committee,Prof. David Kretzmer, Transitional Justice Institute, University of Ulster, Dr. Alexandra Xanthanki, University of Brunel and Mr. Vincent de Graaf, Office of the High Commissioner for National Minorities, Vienna, Austria.

The Irish center for Human Rights would like to extend its thanks to all of the guest speakers and participants for the active week.

Minority Rights Summer School 2004:

Summer courses on Minority Rights and the International Criminal Court were again a huge success this year. In keeping with what is now a tradition at the Centre, this year again saw the hosting of two successful summer schools. The Minority Rights Summer School ran from 12-19 June and this year focused on analysing the phenomenon of minority and indigenous rights violations in Asia, no easy task when one considers that Asia is without a regional system for the protection of human rights.

The course brought together a number of scholars with direct experience of working in Asian states. It was attended both by academics and activists alike and was praised highly by all concerned. This year’s course on the International Criminal Court was the most successful to date. Attended by over eighty delegates, it boasted leading experts in the field of international criminal law and provided a comprehensive introduction to the workings and law of the ICC. The course examined the background and creation of the court, its jurisdiction, the issue of complementarity, the Court’s relationship with the Security Council and the rights of the accused. Again the course was excellently received.

Pictured above with Slyvester Mnananshiku at the Minority Rights Summer School are (c) Daniel Aguirre and (r) Kamram Hashemi, both doctoral candidates at the Irish Centre for Human Rights.

Minority Rights Summer School - Indigenous Peoples & Human Rights Law, June 12th-19th, 2004

The Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUI, Galway runs an annual summer school that focuses on the rights of minorities and indigenous peoples. The aim of the course is to provide participants with an overview of the legal, political and philosophical issues pertaining to international human rights law and its relationship to minority rights and the rights of indigenous peoples. During the week long residential course participants seek to understand, assimilate and critically evaluate legal arguments with respect to the international minority rights regime and how it pertains to minorities and indigenous peoples. In addition they are encouraged to analyse the underlying philosophical basis within the discourse and to become familiar with current debates and cases with a special focus on issues such as the right to land, affirmative action policies, and effective political participation and restitution. A copy of the programme is available here.

The objectives of the course can thus be summarised as follows:

• The imparting of knowledge based skills as regards the minority and indigenous regimes currently in existence;
• The exchange of ideas and identification of lacuna with respect to the different regimes emphasising the overall position of minorities and indigenous peoples within human rights law;
• The familiarisation with cases of the abuse of minority and indigenous peoples rights;
• The development of analytical and advocacy skills in arguing cases concerning abuse of the human rights of minorities and indigenous peoples.

International Criminal Court - July 10th-14th, 2004

At the end of the bloodiest century in human history, the international community adopted a treaty creating the world's first independent and permanent international criminal court. That court is now a reality since the entry into force of the Rome Statute on 1 July 2002. It is arguably the most important development in international law since the creation of the United Nations in 1945. The International Criminal Court (ICC) is able to investigate and prosecute individuals accused of crimes against humanity, genocide, and crimes of war. The ICC will also help defend the rights of those, such as women and children, who have often had little recourse to justice.

The one-week residential summer course on the International Criminal Court will be delivered at the Irish Centre for Human Rights located in Galway, Ireland. The following subjects are discussed: background and creation of the court; territorial, personal and universal jurisdiction; complementarity; subject matter jurisdiction: crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide, aggression; relationship with the Security Council; general principles of law; procedure before the Court; rights of the accused; penalties and State cooperation.

For further information on the International Criminal Court:

• UN home page 
• Rome Statute 
• The ICC International Criminal Court Home Page 
• Human Rights Watch

For information on books pertaining to the International Criminal Court:

• Baden-Badi and Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
• Schabas and Lattanzi, Essays on the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
• Lee, The International Criminal Court- The making of the Rome Statute 
• Triffterer, Commentary on the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
• Schabas, An Introduction to the International Criminal Court

A Summer Program on International and Comparative Human Rights Law - June 20 - July 30, 2004

In 2001, the New England School of Law established a summer course at the Irish Centre for Human Rights, National University of Ireland, Galway. The program, which focuses on the theme of accountability, offers courses in International Criminal Law, the Law of Armed Conflict, International Human Rights Law, International Dispute Resolution, Human Rights Litigation Before U.S. Courts, and Comparative Civil Rights Enforcement. Further information is available here.

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