Allies and enemies, past and present: An analysis of the rationale for the development of universal jurisdiction over serious crimes under international law

Universal jurisdiction is a type of extraterritorial jurisdiction in international law. It permits any State to prosecute persons accused of committing certain abuses regardless of where the offence occurred and irrespective of the nationality of the accused person(s) or victim(s). The inhumanity of the act demands that the perpetrator be prosecuted, because he/she violates the common interests of the world community. As such, it is a rationale-based jurisdiction. In recent years, States that exercise this jurisdiction have narrowed the scope of its application in their legal systems, by neces... Mehr ...