Title: The Future of War Crimes Justice

Author: Chris Stephen

Genre: Nonfiction

Publisher: Melville House

Publication Date: 22nd February 2024

Rating: 5/5

Cover:

Summary:

From Russia to The Democratic Republic of Congo to Myanmar, Chris Stephen ponders the future of prosecuting war criminals who think themselves untouchable in this timely new book, part of Melville House UK’s FUTURES series.

As the world grows increasingly turbulent, war crimes justice is needed more than ever. But it is failing. The International Criminal Court in the Netherlands, the world’s first permanent war crimes court, opened in 2002 but it has jailed just five war criminals to date. Meanwhile, wars continue to rage around the globe. So what has gone wrong, and can it be fixed?

Journalist and war correspondent Chris Stephen takes a colourful look at the erratic history of war crimes justice, and the pioneers who created it. He examines its shortcomings, and options for making it more effective, including the case for prosecuting the corporations and banks who fund warlords. Casting the net wider, he examines alternatives to war crimes trials, and peers into the minds of war criminals themselves.

With war law advocates fighting for justice on one side, and reluctant governments unwilling to relinquish control on the other, will the world of the future be governed by rule-of-law, or might-is-right?

Review:

This is a book that is sadly relevant to our times and unquestionably relevant for the future. Why is glaringly obvious simply from reading the news in recent years. Unfortunately, war crimes are not new and depressingly show little sign of disappearing any time soon. Therefore the nature of and progression of the legal process surrounding them is of vital importance. The legal system is full of jargon and complexities in a way that can often make books on the topic feel inaccessible. However that is absolutely not the case here. Stephen gives a concise introduction to the history, current state and possible future of war crimes justice in a way that is completely accessible with no previous legal knowledge and in a way that looks at its flaws and fallacies with clarity.

The book looks at how the current incarnation of war crimes justice came to be and the people who drove its creation. It shows precisely why, whilst there may be good intentions behind much of what has been put in place, there are massive problems with the way specific cases are handled in practice due to factors such as diplomatic immunity, many countries not agreeing to be bound by certain laws and the issue of enforceability. The Future of War Crimes Justice is, in my view, essential reading, in light of the deeply troubling world we live in and a fascinating and readable look at a complex subject.

★★★★★

Huge thank you to Melville House for my spot on the tour and copy of the book. My review is entirely my own honest opinion.

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