Some Remarks on the Nature and Role of the Fair Trial Principle Before International Criminal Tribunals

Polazeći od činjenice da se načelo pravičnog postupka pred međunarodnim kaznenim sudovima danas smatra općim načelom međunarodnog prava autor u radu upozorava na različito tumačenje njegovih sastavnica u praksi. Ono je posljedica interpretativnih teškoća koje potenciraju procesne konstelacije s velikom težinom međunarodnih zločina za koja sude međunarodni kazneni sudovi i s velikim brojem njihovih žrtava. Međutim, bez obzira na probleme uvažavanja i odmjeravanja interesa okrivljenikove obrane u takvim konstelacijama ograničavanje sastavnica načela pravičnog postupka na štetu obrane dopušteno je samo zbog posebnih okolnosti osnivanja takvih sudova i ostvarivanja njihovih zadaća. Po tome se oni razlikuju od nacionalnih sudova. Autor smatra da je ispravno vaganje interesa obrane i interesa kaznenog progona pri postavljanju proceduralnih okvira u poslovnicima tih sudova kao i pri praktičnom rješavanju pojedinih predmeta ključno za pravičan tretman procesnih sudionika te za legitimnost postupka i djelovanje međunarodnih kaznenih sudova. To potvrđuju pojedini slučajevi iz prakse ICTY-ja i ICTR-a kao međunarodnih kaznenih sudova ad hoc. Autoritet iskustva koje oni donose može biti zalog kvalitetna suđenja ICC-a čija se praksa sada formira kao praksa stalnog suda.While arguing that the fair trial principle is nowadays considered to be a general principle of international law in the proceedings before international criminal tribunals, the author points to the different interpretations of its elements in practice of these tribunals. These interpretational differences are the consequence of specific procedural settings in which international criminal tribunals operate, marked by trials for international crimes of extreme graveness and with a huge number of affected victims. But, no matter what problems may be encountered while evaluating and assessing the interests of the defense of the accused, the limitation of individual elements of fair trial rights at the expenses of the defense is permitted only due to special circumstances of foundation of these tribunals and in the interest of fulfilling their tasks. This element distinguishes international criminal tribunals from national courts. The author is of the opinion that an appropriate balance of the interests of the defense and the interests of the prosecution is of key importance for fair treatment of all participants, for legitimacy of the proceedings, and for the overall operation of the international criminal tribunals. Such balance has to be secured both while defining procedural framework in the bylaws and regulations of such tribunals, and while adjudicating concrete cases. This submission is illustrated by selected cases from the case law of the ICTY and ICTR as ad hoc international criminal tribunals. The experience and the authority accumulated in these cases may be a capital for securing appropriate adjudication in the cases before the ICC as the permanent tribunal for international crimes that only has to establish its case law in the future