Immunity Ratione Materiae of State Officials from Foreign Criminal Jurisdiction: Where is the State Practice in Support of Exceptions?. (4th April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Murphy, Sean D.
• Is Part Of: AJIL unbound. Volume 112( 2018)
• Page Start: 4
• Page End: 8
• Publication Date: 2018-04-04
• Subjects: International law -- Periodicals; 341.05
• DOI: 10.1017/aju.2018.8
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2398-7723

Abstract

Abstract : In the summer of 2017, the UN International Law Commission adoptedDraft Article 7 and an associated draft annex for its project on immunity of state officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction. The draft article identifies six "crimes under international law in respect of which immunity ratione materiae shall not apply": genocide; crimes against humanity; war crimes; crime of apartheid; torture; and enforced disappearance. Given the divergences within the Commission when considering and adopting Draft Article 7 (as evidenced by the plenary debate in 2016 and 2017, the unusual recorded vote on whether to refer the matter to the Commission's drafting committee, and the Commentary), it is difficult to conclude that the Commission is expressing a view that Draft Article 7 reflects lex lata .