The International Criminal Court, as the first permanent institution set up to try alleged perpetrators of the most horrific crimes against humanity, has drawn much interest amongst lawyers and non-lawyers alike. Nowhere is this more appropriate than amongst the lawyers and policy makers of the future. Thus, theInternational Criminal Law Network (ICLN) has developed the ICC Trial Competition. While there exist a number of established moot court competitions, the ICC Trial Competition is unique in its direct focus on ICC proceedings and international criminal law. In 2011, the International Criminal Court also recognized the ICLN ICC Trial Competition as the only official English International Criminal Court moot court competition in the world. The competition gives a wide scope of advocacy in allowing students not only to take on the role of prosecutor or defence counsel, but also that of victims' counsel. The judges are established and highly respected practitioners in the field of international criminal law and are comprised of both lawyers and internationally renowned judges from the ICC and ICTY themselves.
The purpose of the ICC Trial Competition is threefold:
-
To allow top law students worldwide to improve their knowledge of international criminal law in practice, and in particular, the ICC and its proceedings.
-
To provide students with the opportunity to become familiar with world-famous institutions in The Hague such as the ICC, the ICTY, the OPCW, the International Court of Justice and the Peace Palace Library.
-
To enhance knowledge about the Rome Statute within countries that have yet to ratify it, by providing the top legal minds of the future from both Member and non Member States an opportunity to learn more about the ICC.