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Kambanda v. Prosecutor

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2017

Olivia Swaak-Goldman
Olivia Swaak-Goldman*
Affiliation:
Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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Abstract

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Type
International Decisions
Information
American Journal of International Law , Volume 95 , Issue 3 , July 2001 , pp. 656 - 661
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of International Law 2001

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References

1 Kambandav. Prosecutor, Judgment, No. ICTR97-23-A (Oct. 19, 2000) [hereinafter Kambanda appeal]. The judges were Claude Jorda (presiding), Lai Chand Vohrah, Mohamed Shahabuddeen, Rafael Nieto-Navia, and Fausto Pocar. The judgments and other documents of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda are available online at <http://www.ictr.org>.

2 SC Res. 955, annex (Nov. 8, 1994), reprinted in 33 ILM 1598 (1994).

3 Prosecutor v. Kambanda, Judgment and Sentence, No. ICTR-97-23-S (Sept. 4, 1998) [hereinafter Kambanda judgment and sentence].

4 June 29, 1995, UN Doc. ITR/3/Rev.1 (1995), as amended (June 26, 2000).

5 Kambanda appeal, supra note 1, para. 10.

6 Id., para. 11.

7 Rule 62(B) provides:

If an accused pleads guilty in accordance with Rule 62 (A) (v), or requests to change his plea to guilty, the

Trial Chamber shall satisfy itself that the guilty plea:

(i) is made freely and voluntarily;

(ii) is an informed plea;

(iii) is unequivocal; and

(iv) is based on sufficient facts for the crime and accused’s participation in it, either on the basis of independent indicia or of lack of any material disagreement between the parties about the facts of the case.

Thereafter the Trial Chamber may enter a finding of guilt and instruct the Registrar to set a date for the sentencing hearing.

8 Kambanda appeal, supra note 1, para. 61 (citing joint sep. op. McDonald & Vohrah, JJ., Prosecutor v. Erdemović, Judgment, No. IT-96-22-A, para. 10 (Oct. 7, 1997) [hereinafter Joint separate opinion]); see Olivia Swaak-Goldman, Case Report: Prosecutor v. Erdemović, 92 AJIL 282 (1998). Thejudgments and other case materials of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia are available online at <http://www.un.org/icty/ind-e.htm>.

9 Kambanda appeal, supra note 1, para. 63.

10 Id., para. 75 (citing Joint separate opinion, supra note 8, paras. 14—19).

11 Id., para. 67.

12 Id., para. 84 (quoting Joint separate opinion, supra note 8, para. 31).

13 Id., para. 103; see id., paras. 104-13 (citing Prosecutor v. Akayesu, Sentence, No. ICTR-96-4-T (Oct. 2, 1998); Prosecutor v. Rutaganda, Judgment and Sentence, No. ICTR-96-3-T (Dec. 6, 1999); Prosecutor v. Musema, Judgment and Sentence, No. ICTR-96-13-T (Jan. 27, 2000); Prosecutor v. Serushago, Sentence, No. ICTR-98-39-S (Feb. 5, 2000); Prosecutor v. Jelisić, Judgment, No. IT-95-10-T (Dec. 14, 1999); Prosecutor v. Blaškić, Judgment, No. IT-95-14-T (Mar. 3, 2000)).

14 Kambanda appeal, supra note 1, para. 111.

15 See supra note 5 and accompanying text.

16 Kambanda appeal, supra note 1, para. 114.

17 Id., para. 116.

18 Id.

19 Id., para. 117.

20 Id., para. 122 (emphasis added).

21 Id., para. 123.

22 Id., para. 124.

23 Id., para. 125.

24 Id., para. 126.

25 See William, W. Wilkins Jr., Plea Negotiations, Acceptance of Responsibility, Role of the Offender, and Departures: Policy Decisions in the Promulgation of Federal Sentencing Guidelines, 23 Wake Forest L. Rev. 181 (1988)Google Scholar; see also Andrew Von, Hirsch, Kay, A. Knapp, & Tonry, Michael, The Sentencing Commission and Its Guidelines 143 (1987)Google Scholar.

26 U.S. Sentencing Commission, Supplementary Report on The Initial Sentencing Guidelines and Policy Statements 48 (1987).

27 See Albert, W. Alschuler, Implementing the Criminal Defendants Right to Trial: Alternatives to the Plea Bargaining System, U. Chi. L. Rev. 931 (1983)Google Scholar. But see Abraham, S. Goldstein & Marcus, Martin, The Myth of Judicial Supervision in Three “Inquisitorial” Systems: France, Italy, and Germany, 87 Yale L.J. 240 (1977)Google Scholar.

28 Wilkins, supra note 25, at 191.

29 Prosecutor v. Akayesu, Sentence, No. ICTR-96-4-T (Oct. 2, 1998).

30 Prosecutor v. Kayishema, Judgment and Sentence, No. ICTR-95-1-T (May 21, 1999).

31 Prosecutor v. Rutaganda, Judgment and Sentence, No. ICTR-96-3-T (Dec. 6, 1999).

32 Prosecutor v. Musema, Judgment and Sentence, No. ICTR-96-13-T (Jan. 27, 2000).

33 Prosecutor v. Jelisić, Judgment, No. IT-95-10-T (Dec. 14, 1999).

34 Prosecutor v. Blaškić, Judgment, No. IT-95-14-T (Mar. 3, 2000). In contrast, Dario Kordić, a Croatian political leader also charged in relation to crimes committed during the conflict in central Bosnia, was sentenced to only 25 years’ imprisonment for crimes against humanity and war crimes. Prosecutor v. Kordić, Judgment, No. IT- 95-14/2-T (Feb. 26, 2001).

35 Supra note 2, Art. 23(2).

36 SC Res. 827, annex, Art. 24(2) (May 25, 1993), reprinted in 32 ILM 1192 (1993).

37 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, July 17, 1998, UN Doc. A/CONF. 183/9*, reprinted in 37 ILM 999 (1998), available at <http://www.un.org/law/icc/index.html>.

38 See Faiza, P. King & Anne-Marie, La Rosa, Penalties Under the ICC Statute, in 1 Essays on The Rome Statute of The International Criminal Court 311, 322 (Lattanzi, Flavia & William, A. Schabas eds., 1999)Google Scholar, see also Olivia, Swaak-Goldman, Crimes Against Humanity, in 1 Substantive and Procedural Aspects of International Criminal Law (Gabrielle, Kirk McDonald & Olivia, Swaak-Goldman eds., 2000)Google Scholar (discussing whether crimes against humanity are more serious than war crimes).

39 In this regard it is interesting to note that former journalist Georges Henry Joseph Ruggiu was sentenced to only 12 years’ imprisonment by an ICTR trial chamber after pleading guilty to two counts of direct and public incitement to commit genocide and crimes against humanity. Prosecutor v. Ruggiu, Judgment and Sentence, No. ICTR-97-32-S (June 1, 2000). Similarly, Omar Serushago’s sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment for four counts of genocide and crimes against humanity, to which he pleaded guilty, Prosecutor v. Serushago, Sentence, No. ICTR 98-39-S (Feb. 5, 1999), was upheld by the ICTR Appeals Chamber, Serushago v. Prosecutor, Reasons for Judgment, No. ICTR 98-39-A (Apr. 6, 2000). The case of Juvénal Kajelijeli, No. ICTR-98-44, former mayor of Mukingo, who pleaded guilty to 11 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, presents a more difficult scenario because of the number of counts and his position as a senior local official. At the time of this writing, his sentence has not been rendered. See ICTR/INFO-9-2-256.EN (Jan. 26, 2001).