International Courts and Tribunals

In a landmark decision which develops international humanitarian law pertaining to sexual violence and enslavement, Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court for Yugoslavia (ICTY) on February 22, 2001, sentenced three ethnic Serbs to prison for their abuse of women at a "rape camp" near Foca, a small Bosnian town southeast of Sarajevo.[1]  Dragoljub Kunarac was sentenced to 28 years, Radomir Kovac 20 years, and Zoran Vukovic 12 years.

 

 

Introduction

 

 

According to news reports, President Bush and his advisors are developing a new national security strategy based on pre-emptive action against terrorist groups and states that are trying to develop weapons of mass destruction.  It has been reported that the new policy reserves the right to act even if the threat is not judged to be imminent.  The pre-emptive action would not necessarily involve armed force, but that option is not ruled out.

 

On April 11, 2002, ten countries simultaneously deposited instruments of ratification to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, bringing the total number of States Parties to 66. [1] th ratification, which, pursuant to article 126 of the Treaty, will cause the Statute to enter into force on July 1, 2002. A special ceremony was held at the United Nations to mark the occasion of the 60