Le Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris (left), the criminal court in France's capital, soon may adjudicate charges of international offenses.In a joint op-ed appearing in Le Monde, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and Justice Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie (below right) announced that in the 2010 courts bill the legislature will be asked to give to the Paris court competence to hear cases involving allegations of genocide and crimes against humanity. As quoted by Agence France-Presse, the 2 ministers wrote, in a reference to the complementarity principle at the heart of the International Criminal Court structure:
'Il ne s'agit pas de mettre en place la compétence universelle mais de faire valoir les principes du droit international au sein de juridictions nationales dans le respect du traité de Rome de 1998.'
That is:
'It's not a matter of establishing universal jurisdiction but rather of giving force to the international law principles applicable to national court systems by dint of the 1998 Rome Statute.'
(courtroom photo credit; Alliot-Marie photo credit)
