The ICTR and the Protection of Witnesses

The protection of witnesses occupies a prominent place in 10years of practice of the International Criminal Tribunal forRwanda (ICTR). This paper sketches certain elements of the ICTRlaw on this matter. Among other things, it demonstrates thatthis law is flexible and has resulted in the provision of protectivemeasures as a matter of routine, without much regard for theprinciples of public trial. It is furthermore critical as tothe practical effect of protective measures, arguing that enforcementmechanisms in the form of contempt procedures are highly unattractive,and the continuing expansion of protective measures is undesirablefrom the perspective of the rights of the accused. A final pointof criticism addressed in this paper concerns the apparent lackof interest of the ICTR in the protection of a particular categoryof witnesses, namely witnesses detained in Rwanda.     

The Crime of Genocide in the ICTR Jurisprudence

The jurisprudence of the International Criminal Tribunal forRwanda (ICTR) has properly focused on the special intent (dolusspecialis) to destroy a group as the distinguishing characteristicof genocide and differentiated it from result-oriented crimes.Although the ICTR has crowned genocide as ‘the crime ofcrimes’, it has simultaneously dethroned it by holdingthat it attracts the same sentence as other humanitarian lawviolations. Nonetheless, ICTR jurisprudence attaches considerableimportance to characterizing the destruction of the Tutsi asgenocide as distinct from crimes against humanity. Because theTutsi cannot be readily distinguished as one of the protectedgroups under the Genocide Convention, Trial Chambers have goneto great lengths to characterize them as an ‘ethnic’group in order to justify the label of genocide.     

Main Achievements of the ICTR

Since trials began in 1997, the International Criminal Tribunalfor Rwanda (ICTR) has conducted cases involving 50 accused,involving a prime minister and several ministers, prefects,bourgmestres and other leaders, who would otherwise not havebeen brought to justice. Judgments have been rendered in respectof 25 accused, with three acquittals. During the first mandate(1995–1999), the Tribunal delivered ground-breaking judgmentsconcerning genocide, such as Akayesu and Kambanda. In the secondmandate (1999–2003), the judicial output doubled and includedthe Media judgment. Halfway into the third mandate (2003–2007),trials involving 25 accused are ongoing. The ICTR is an efficientjudicial institution which has conducted fair trials, createdimportant jurisprudence, and made a significant contributionto the development of international criminal justice.     

论卢旺达国际刑事法庭的管辖权

卢旺达国际刑事法庭的管辖权包括五类:其属地管辖权涵盖卢旺达及其邻国;其属人管辖权限于自然人;其属事管辖权包含种族灭绝罪、反人道罪和战争罪;其属时管辖权仅限于1994年度发生的犯罪,遭到卢旺达政府的批评;其并行管辖权和优先管辖权则与前南斯拉夫国际刑事法庭规定的同名管辖权有着质的区别。     

Courting Rwanda: The Promises and Pitfalls of the ICTR Outreach Programme

This article aims to assess the contribution of the OutreachProgramme at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda(ICTR). The author introduces and discusses two general approachesor models of outreach that international criminal tribunalsmay pursue. The transparency model of outreach seeks to makea tribunal's opaque legal process more visible by disseminatingbasic information about the court to communities recoveringfrom human rights abuses. The engagement model goes beyond onlyinforming these communities by facilitating frequent and extensivetribunal interaction and dialogue through seminars, town hallpresentations, and training of legal professionals. Despitesome progress with limited resources, the efforts of the OutreachProgramme of the ICTR to engage the Rwandan population and tomake the Tribunal more transparent have been ineffective. Thearticle recommends that the ICTR bolster its outreach effortsby helping to train Rwanda's judiciary, appointing more Rwandansto serve in positions of authority at the Tribunal, and engagingdomestic and international non-governmental organizations inoutreach programme partnerships.     

Gender Crimes Jurisprudence in the ICTR: Positive Developments

Considering the magnitude of rape and other sexual crimes perpetratedduring the Rwandan genocide, gender crimes prosecutions at theInternational Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) have beeninadequate so far. Nonetheless, the ICTR case law must be commendedfor the impulse given, with and after Akayesu, to the criminalizationand punishment of gender-related violence. This paper pointsto the achievements of the ICTR case law in this respect.     

行政救济中的和解与调解

和解与调解因具有契约精神,并在行政主体享有裁量权的前提下,得以引入行政救济之中.行政救济中适用和解与调解,具有树立温情行政、高效率、节约社会资源等优点,但也有贩卖公权、寻租等担忧.对行政救济的和解与调解进行制度化是解决以上问题的关键.行政救济中的和解与调解,应选择符合我国法律体系的制度模式,并确立应遵守的原则和适用范围.     

Varieties of Reconciliation

In recent years scholars from neighboring disciplines have emphasized the importance of conceptual rigor in designing, administering, and interpreting research in the social sciences. Drawing on this new conceptualism, this article analyzes the much talked about notion of "reconciliation." In an effort at structuring a useful debate on possible departures from historic injustice, the article formulates a systematized concept of reconciliation based on the multitude of meanings contained in theory and practice. It distinguishes varieties of reconciliation, organizing these varieties into types and subtypes. The article argues that while most varieties of reconciliation emanate from the same root concept, the various outer layers of meaning do not overlap. This hampers not only our understanding of reconciliation, but its promotion in the international system as well. In response to this methodological malaise, the article prescribes friendly amendments—conceptual modifications and refinements designed to increase measurement validation of reconciliation as a conceptual variable .     

智能互联网能为民主立法贡献什么

智能互联网的兴起,将从时空观、传媒手段、信息方式、计算方法等多个方面颠覆传统,智能的无限拓展也对人类的认知能力和认知方式构成挑战。立法活动作为国家法治生活的逻辑起点和关键环节,不可避免地将在科技发展的驱动下迎来新的变化。民主立法是立法学研究长期关注的重点,同时也是一个富有鲜明时代性的重要议题。时空条件的转换,人类认知能力的提高,社会生产、生活技术的改进等,都会对民主立法的内涵与外延、理论与实践起到重大、深刻的影响。这意味着智能互联网时代的到来将为民主立法的叙事提出新问题,为民主立法的研究贡献新方法,为民主立法的理论更新带来机会,为民主立法的制度调整和实践改良提供契机。     

The Contribution of Family Relationships to Child-to-Parent Violence

Child-to-parent violence is a social problem that is qualitatively different from other types of family violence, since adolescents direct their violence toward those who should represent authority and provide for their welfare. One of the goals of this study was to analyze the importance of the quality of family relationships and different strategies of family discipline with regard to violent or prosocial behavior of adolescents toward their parents. Structural Equation Modeling was used to test a model of violent behavior towards parents. Participants were 585 children aged between 12 and 18 from eight schools in the Basque Country (Spain). Positive family discipline and supervision were not associated with lower levels of violence against parents. Family relationships had direct effects on child-to-parent violence, and power-assertive discipline showed a mediating effect in that association. It seems that affectivity and quality of family relationships are the most important aspects for preventing violent behaviors.     

我国国家赔偿制度的功绩、不足及创新

我国《国家赔偿法》的颁布实施,标志着我国国家赔偿制度正式建立。国家赔偿制度的功绩在于:在立法理念上,它体现了人民主权;在行政执法上,它塑造了责任政府;在司法实践上,它彰显了社会公正。国家赔偿制度的不足在于:公民获得国家赔偿之艰难,国家赔偿“私了”现象之严重,国家赔偿蜕变成单位赔偿之盛行,国家赔偿范围之狭窄、数额之低下、程序之不合理。而完善我国的国家赔偿制度,需要创新国家赔偿之法律文化,需要创新国家赔偿之法律制度。前者旨在解决国家赔偿难,国家赔偿“私了”严重和国家赔偿蜕变成单位赔偿等问题;后者旨在解决国家赔偿制度在赔偿的归责、范围、金额、程序和精神赔偿等问题。     

我国刑事和解制度的反思及矫正

在构建和谐社会的背景下,以贯彻宽严相济的刑事政策为指导,源自于中国司法实践的刑事和解制度成为倍受推崇的一项刑事司法制度创新。任何制度都有其固有的局限性,刑事和解制度的不足也不容忽视。在热情地颂扬其价值,片面地宣扬其合理性之后,狂热必须回归理性。梳理刑事和解制度的理论和实践,厘清其理论误区和实践缺陷,认知其本质属性,以公诉裁量权矫正刑事和解制度,使其发挥自身所具备的功能。     

高校司法鉴定机构在学校的地位和作用

从高校司法鉴定机构的角度,论述了高校司法鉴定机构主要特征和性质。高校的发展离不开教学、科研和社会服务三个方面,高校司法鉴定机构的发展为教学提供了优秀的实习基地,是培养科研和社会中高级专业人才的基地;是教学方法创新、教学资料积累和师生观念转变的源泉;高校司法鉴定机构拥有良好的社会声誉;为科研提供研究内容,教学和科研成果的转化推动了高校和司法鉴定的发展,有利于优势学科组成学科群式的集成平台,并促进司法鉴定制度的完善和发展。     

中日“家事调停”的比较研究

一、日本的“家事调停”制度 第二次世界大战以后,日本根据战后制定的新宪法,规定了婚姻及其家庭立法必须遵循的个人尊严和两性平等的原则,并设置家庭裁判所,对家事纠纷实行与诉讼不同的调停审判程序.1948年1月1日,在废除原有的人事调停制度的同时,……     

税务和解的正当性分析

税务和解现象之出现,缘于税务确认、税务处罚和税务诉讼过程中特定法律事实之缺失,其具有普遍性;税务事实之复杂性和税务实践之限制性的客观矛盾构成了税务和解的正当性基础;协商民主论、税收债法论以及既有执法领域的和解操作分别为税务和解提供了理论支撑和实践借鉴;税务和解的制度化可以消弭这一现象本身的异化倾向,从而实现税务和解在我国的正当化。