[Benjamin Ferencz Lecture] The principle of ne bis in idem in international criminal law

The legal principle of ne bis in idem, also known as double jeopardy, proclaims that no person shall be tried twice for the same matter. This principle is important in theory and practice, as it safeguards a fundamental individual interest and spares the accused the burden of a repeat trial. In international criminal law, the principle is embodied in a variety of ne bis in idem rules.

The precise content of these rules is shaped by their context and competing interests that the rules may need to accommodate. The lecture, co-organised with the IHCL Platform, will provide an overview of the principle of ne bis in idem in international criminal law and delve into the details of ne bis in idem rules in the law and practice of the International Criminal Court (ICC). It will discuss a number of highly topical issues, among which the application of ne bis in idem to crimes subject to universal jurisdiction as well as the function of ne bis in idem in the relations between the ICC and other domestic and international criminal courts and tribunals.

Keynote Speaker
Dr Gaiane Nuridzhanian is a legal scholar from Ukraine. She works as an associate professor at the Faculty of Law at UiT-The Arctic University of Norway. She holds an LLM degree from the University of Cambridge and a PhD in law from University College London. Dr Nuridzhanian specialises in public international law, human rights law, and international criminal law. She has previously worked as a lawyer at the European Court of Human Rights and the International Advisory Panel on Ukraine (Council of Europe), and as a Visiting Legal Professional at the International Criminal Court. Gaiane is the author of The principle of ne bis in idem in international criminal law (Routledge, 2024).

Panelists

• Professor Roger O’Keefe, Bocconi University
• Marie O’Leary, Office of Public Counsel for the Defence, International Criminal Court
• Teodora Jugrin, Kosovo Specialist Chambers

Moderator
Dr Gabrielė Chlevickaitė, researcher, T.M.C. Asser Instituut