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Holding Judges Responsible

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Judges Against Justice

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Abstract

The analysis has shown two contradictory inferences that can be drawn from historical and legal material. Nevertheless, it is clear that judges can be held responsible for exercising judicial functions within the law if by that they contribute to obvious and substantial infringements of individual rights. This is demanded by the rule of law even if it means that legislation is applied retroactively in order to achieve it and is also an obligation under international human rights regimes.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See Brems (2011), pp. 286–287.

  2. 2.

    See The Justice Case (1951), p. 984.

  3. 3.

    The Justice Case (1951), p. 1026.

  4. 4.

    See Law Reports of Trials of War Criminals, vol. XV Digest of Laws and Cases, United Nations War Crimes Commission, London 1949, p. 10.

  5. 5.

    See Werle (2001), p. 3001.

  6. 6.

    For a discussion on the prosecution of human rights violations under apartheid in South Africa, see Berat (1993), pp. 199–231.

  7. 7.

    See Einarsen (2012), pp. 51–62.

  8. 8.

    For an account of the continuity of the community of judges and officials of the legal system, see Müller (1989), pp. 204–221.

  9. 9.

    See Freudiger (2002), p. 416.

  10. 10.

    See Pendas (2009), pp. 357–358.

  11. 11.

    See Pendas (2009), pp. 360–361.

  12. 12.

    See Freudiger (2002), p. 402.

  13. 13.

    See NRT 1948, p. 116.

  14. 14.

    See pp. 132–133 above.

  15. 15.

    SA Truth and Reconciliation Commission Final Report, pp. 107–108.

  16. 16.

    See Ellmann (1995), pp. 425–426.

  17. 17.

    See Marxen and Werle (2007), p. XLIV with citations.

  18. 18.

    In the same direction, Werle (1995), p. 82.

  19. 19.

    See Brems (2011), pp. 298–301.

  20. 20.

    ECtHR case of Streletz, Kessler and Krenz v. Germany, (Applications nos. 34044/96, 35532/97 and 44801/98) Judgment 22 March 2001, p. 32.

  21. 21.

    Teitel (1996–1997), p. 2017.

  22. 22.

    See Tamm (1984), pp. 737–744.

  23. 23.

    Law Reports of Trials of War Criminals vol. XIV, United Nations War Crimes Commission, London (1949), s. 119.

  24. 24.

    Law Reports of Trials of War Criminals vol. XIV, United Nations War Crimes Commission, London (1949), s. 120–121.

  25. 25.

    See Andenæs (1979), pp. 120–121.

  26. 26.

    NRT 1946, p. 1139.

  27. 27.

    Law Reports of Trials of War Criminals vol. III, United Nations War Crimes Commission, London (1948), s. 13.

  28. 28.

    NRT 2010, p. 1445.

  29. 29.

    Justice Møse, paragraph 119.

  30. 30.

    Schröder (1999).

  31. 31.

    See Jescheck (2004) on the relationship between the Nuremberg trials and the ICC statute.

  32. 32.

    Einarsen (2012), p. 8.

  33. 33.

    The Justice Case (1951), p. 982.

  34. 34.

    Case of Vinter and others v. the United Kingdom Applications nos. 66069/09 and 130/10 and 3896/10.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Law, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Hans Petter Graver

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  1. Hans Petter Graver
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Graver, H.P. (2015). Holding Judges Responsible. In: Judges Against Justice. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44293-7_13

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