Admissibility and Procedural Rights of Victims in the International Criminal Court

Abstract

The essay will examine the procedure for admissibility of cases in the international criminal court (I.C.C) as enshrined in Articles 5, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 of the ICC Statute. It will explain the meaning and interpretation of the criteria for admissibility with reference to cases like LUBANGA and KATANGA. Further, the paper will explore victims’ participation in the ICC. In this regard, it will consider and comment on the purpose and importance of victims’ participation as a distinctive feature of the court. It will consider the definition of victims and discuss the procedural rights of victims with reference to Articles 15(3), 68, 75 of the ICC Statute and Rule 85 of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence of the ICC. The argument will examine the reasons why the judges have been given a very wide discretion in the interpretation of the statute on the criteria for admissibility and the procedural rights of victims.