My thesis focuses on witness protective measures at the International Criminal Court (ICC). I The ICC, established by the Rome Statute, is the first permanent international criminal court, which exercises its jurisdiction over persons responsible of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.
Article 68 of the Rome Statute reads that “[t]he Court shall take appropriate measures to protect the safety, physical and psychological well-being, dignity and privacy of victims and witnesses”. Being a witness at the ICC is not an easy and painless experience. As the testimony might determine the guilt of the accused, it is not uncommon that some witnesses may be threatened, injured or even killed due to their participation in proceedings. The difficulties witnesses encounter due to their collaboration in international criminal justice might stop them from coming forward to identify the alleged perpetrators of crimes.
For this reason, my thesis aims to provide a critical evaluation of witness protective measures at the ICC in light of human rights law. With this analysis, my thesis assesses whether it is useful to continue or discontinue these measures and whether they need to be changed, dropped or improved.