Table of Contents
1. Introduction to criminal law:.......................................................................................................................................................................5
Defining Criminal law........................................................................................................................................................................................................5
Why do we need criminal law?..........................................................................................................................................................................................6
Aims of Punishment..........................................................................................................................................................................................................7
Theories of punishment.....................................................................................................................................................................................................8
5 Conditions for criminal liability.....................................................................................................................................................................................11
Scope of Criminal law: Jurisdiction..................................................................................................................................................................................12
2. Principles of Criminalization......................................................................................................................................................................13
Definition of Criminalization............................................................................................................................................................................................14
What is a crime?..............................................................................................................................................................................................................14
Why do we need criminalization?....................................................................................................................................................................................14
Theories of Criminalization..............................................................................................................................................................................................14
Consequences of criminalization.....................................................................................................................................................................................15
The Harm principle..........................................................................................................................................................................................................15
Instrumental and conduct-centered interpretations......................................................................................................................................................................................16
What then counts as harm?............................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
Individual autonomy vs. welfare.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
Role of wrongfulness.......................................................................................................................................................................................................16
Principles of criminalization: Proportionality, Subsidiarity and effectiveness................................................................................................................................................17
3. The principle of legality (Legality principle)................................................................................................................................................18
The 4 subnorms of legality...............................................................................................................................................................................................19
Eight ways to fail to make law.........................................................................................................................................................................................20
, Legality principle in National systems..............................................................................................................................................................................21
4. Mens rea and actus reus............................................................................................................................................................................21
Actus reus........................................................................................................................................................................................................................21
Mens rea.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
Terminology:....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
3 Possible form of means rea:.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
Bipartite and tripartite system........................................................................................................................................................................................................................24
Demarcation (Abgrenzung) from premeditation and motive...........................................................................................................................................25
5. Defenses (Justifications and excuses).........................................................................................................................................................26
Dichotomy of defenses – Justification v excuses..............................................................................................................................................................26
Defenses..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................27
Self-defense.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................28
Necessity..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................31
Duress..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................33
Insanity............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................35
Intoxication......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................37
Mistakes of Fact...............................................................................................................................................................................................................38
Mistakes of law...............................................................................................................................................................................................................38
6. Sentencing.................................................................................................................................................................................................39
Goals of punishment........................................................................................................................................................................................................39
Punishment according to Hart.........................................................................................................................................................................................40
Common Sanctions..........................................................................................................................................................................................................41
Statutory Minimum and Maximum penalties..................................................................................................................................................................41
7. Criminal procedure....................................................................................................................................................................................43
From a comparative procedure........................................................................................................................................................................................43
Legal families...................................................................................................................................................................................................................45
, Civil law............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................46
Common law....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................47
Law in the far east...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................48
Religious legal systems....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................49
Socialist legal systems.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................50
Customary legal systems.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................51
Models of procedural law I..............................................................................................................................................................................................51
Crime control model........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................51
Due process model..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................52
Models of procedural law II.............................................................................................................................................................................................52
Inquisitorial proceedings.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................52
Adversarial proceedings..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................53
8. Fair trial....................................................................................................................................................................................................54
Right to a fair trial............................................................................................................................................................................................................54
When is a charge criminal?..............................................................................................................................................................................................55
Fair Hearing within a Reasonable time............................................................................................................................................................................56
Examining witnesses........................................................................................................................................................................................................56
Rights of the Defendant...................................................................................................................................................................................................57
Right to legal assistance..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................58
Nemo tenetur..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................59
Ne bis in idem..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................60
9. Interrogation and Torture..........................................................................................................................................................................60
Introduction to torture....................................................................................................................................................................................................60
Defining torture...............................................................................................................................................................................................................61
Defining Interrogation.....................................................................................................................................................................................................62
Human Rights during interrogation.................................................................................................................................................................................62
Interrogation methods....................................................................................................................................................................................................63
Case law on interrogation methods................................................................................................................................................................................................................64
, 10. Core International crimes in ICL...............................................................................................................................................................65
Core International law crimes: Material and Mental Elements........................................................................................................................................65
4 core crimes of International Criminal law.....................................................................................................................................................................66
War crimes......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................67
Crimes against humanity.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................71
Crime of aggression.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................72
Genocide: an intend crime...............................................................................................................................................................................................72
Basic principles of International Humanitarian law.........................................................................................................................................................75
11. International Criminal liability modes and defences.................................................................................................................................76
Main Liability forms in International criminal law...........................................................................................................................................................76
Normative approach on main forms of liability...............................................................................................................................................................79
Claus Roxin´s theory........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................79
Control of the crime........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................80
The most blameworthy person........................................................................................................................................................................................80
Rome Statute (ICC Statute)..............................................................................................................................................................................................80
Commission as an Individual under Customary International law & ICC law....................................................................................................................81
Joint criminal Enterprise – Customary Int. law.................................................................................................................................................................82
Command/superior responsibility...................................................................................................................................................................................86
Aiding and abetting or otherwise contributing to............................................................................................................................................................88
Interpretation of commission and subordinate..............................................................................................................................................................................................89
Criticism on the broader scope of command responsibility as result of interpreting commission and subordinate....................................................................................90
Establishing gravity of the crime in context of a conviction of Article 7(3)....................................................................................................................................................90
12. Victimology.............................................................................................................................................................................................91
Historical development...................................................................................................................................................................................................92
The aftermath of war......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................93
Identifying the victim.......................................................................................................................................................................................................93
The Ideal victim...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................94
1. Introduction to criminal law:.......................................................................................................................................................................5
Defining Criminal law........................................................................................................................................................................................................5
Why do we need criminal law?..........................................................................................................................................................................................6
Aims of Punishment..........................................................................................................................................................................................................7
Theories of punishment.....................................................................................................................................................................................................8
5 Conditions for criminal liability.....................................................................................................................................................................................11
Scope of Criminal law: Jurisdiction..................................................................................................................................................................................12
2. Principles of Criminalization......................................................................................................................................................................13
Definition of Criminalization............................................................................................................................................................................................14
What is a crime?..............................................................................................................................................................................................................14
Why do we need criminalization?....................................................................................................................................................................................14
Theories of Criminalization..............................................................................................................................................................................................14
Consequences of criminalization.....................................................................................................................................................................................15
The Harm principle..........................................................................................................................................................................................................15
Instrumental and conduct-centered interpretations......................................................................................................................................................................................16
What then counts as harm?............................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
Individual autonomy vs. welfare.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
Role of wrongfulness.......................................................................................................................................................................................................16
Principles of criminalization: Proportionality, Subsidiarity and effectiveness................................................................................................................................................17
3. The principle of legality (Legality principle)................................................................................................................................................18
The 4 subnorms of legality...............................................................................................................................................................................................19
Eight ways to fail to make law.........................................................................................................................................................................................20
, Legality principle in National systems..............................................................................................................................................................................21
4. Mens rea and actus reus............................................................................................................................................................................21
Actus reus........................................................................................................................................................................................................................21
Mens rea.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
Terminology:....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
3 Possible form of means rea:.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
Bipartite and tripartite system........................................................................................................................................................................................................................24
Demarcation (Abgrenzung) from premeditation and motive...........................................................................................................................................25
5. Defenses (Justifications and excuses).........................................................................................................................................................26
Dichotomy of defenses – Justification v excuses..............................................................................................................................................................26
Defenses..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................27
Self-defense.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................28
Necessity..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................31
Duress..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................33
Insanity............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................35
Intoxication......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................37
Mistakes of Fact...............................................................................................................................................................................................................38
Mistakes of law...............................................................................................................................................................................................................38
6. Sentencing.................................................................................................................................................................................................39
Goals of punishment........................................................................................................................................................................................................39
Punishment according to Hart.........................................................................................................................................................................................40
Common Sanctions..........................................................................................................................................................................................................41
Statutory Minimum and Maximum penalties..................................................................................................................................................................41
7. Criminal procedure....................................................................................................................................................................................43
From a comparative procedure........................................................................................................................................................................................43
Legal families...................................................................................................................................................................................................................45
, Civil law............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................46
Common law....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................47
Law in the far east...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................48
Religious legal systems....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................49
Socialist legal systems.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................50
Customary legal systems.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................51
Models of procedural law I..............................................................................................................................................................................................51
Crime control model........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................51
Due process model..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................52
Models of procedural law II.............................................................................................................................................................................................52
Inquisitorial proceedings.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................52
Adversarial proceedings..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................53
8. Fair trial....................................................................................................................................................................................................54
Right to a fair trial............................................................................................................................................................................................................54
When is a charge criminal?..............................................................................................................................................................................................55
Fair Hearing within a Reasonable time............................................................................................................................................................................56
Examining witnesses........................................................................................................................................................................................................56
Rights of the Defendant...................................................................................................................................................................................................57
Right to legal assistance..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................58
Nemo tenetur..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................59
Ne bis in idem..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................60
9. Interrogation and Torture..........................................................................................................................................................................60
Introduction to torture....................................................................................................................................................................................................60
Defining torture...............................................................................................................................................................................................................61
Defining Interrogation.....................................................................................................................................................................................................62
Human Rights during interrogation.................................................................................................................................................................................62
Interrogation methods....................................................................................................................................................................................................63
Case law on interrogation methods................................................................................................................................................................................................................64
, 10. Core International crimes in ICL...............................................................................................................................................................65
Core International law crimes: Material and Mental Elements........................................................................................................................................65
4 core crimes of International Criminal law.....................................................................................................................................................................66
War crimes......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................67
Crimes against humanity.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................71
Crime of aggression.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................72
Genocide: an intend crime...............................................................................................................................................................................................72
Basic principles of International Humanitarian law.........................................................................................................................................................75
11. International Criminal liability modes and defences.................................................................................................................................76
Main Liability forms in International criminal law...........................................................................................................................................................76
Normative approach on main forms of liability...............................................................................................................................................................79
Claus Roxin´s theory........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................79
Control of the crime........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................80
The most blameworthy person........................................................................................................................................................................................80
Rome Statute (ICC Statute)..............................................................................................................................................................................................80
Commission as an Individual under Customary International law & ICC law....................................................................................................................81
Joint criminal Enterprise – Customary Int. law.................................................................................................................................................................82
Command/superior responsibility...................................................................................................................................................................................86
Aiding and abetting or otherwise contributing to............................................................................................................................................................88
Interpretation of commission and subordinate..............................................................................................................................................................................................89
Criticism on the broader scope of command responsibility as result of interpreting commission and subordinate....................................................................................90
Establishing gravity of the crime in context of a conviction of Article 7(3)....................................................................................................................................................90
12. Victimology.............................................................................................................................................................................................91
Historical development...................................................................................................................................................................................................92
The aftermath of war......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................93
Identifying the victim.......................................................................................................................................................................................................93
The Ideal victim...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................94
