Workshop on Introduction to International Criminal Law for Judges of the High Courts and County Courts of South Sudan

From 26 to 28 June 2018, the Max Plank Foundation, in cooperation with the Judiciary of South Sudan, conducted a workshop entitled ‘Introduction to International Criminal Law’ for selected judges of the High Courts and County Courts of South Sudan. The workshop, which was organised in cooperation with the Judiciary of South Sudan, overviewed the subjects of transitional justice and the rule of law, and introduced the judges to the field of international criminal law.

During this three-day workshop, which was delivered by three representatives of the Foundation, the participants were provided with a basic introduction to the role of international criminal law within the field of transitional justice. Sessions within the workshop covered broad, yet interrelated, topics such as the constitutional implications of transitional justice mechanisms, the sources of international criminal law, the principle of legality, as well as introductions to the international crimes of crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes and the crime of aggression. The workshop concluded with a case study discussion that brought together the various themes of the three-day workshop and highlighted the legal practicalities of national prosecutions of international crimes.

The workshop, held in Juba, South Sudan, was officially inaugurated by the Chief Justice of South Sudan, H.E. Justice Chan Reec Madut, and a representative of the Foundation.

Funded by the European Union, this workshop continued the implementation of the training component of the project “Strengthening the Rule of Law in South Sudan.”