11 – 15 DECEMBER 2006
FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE
DAY ONE: MONDAY
9:00–10:15 Opening of Workshop: General Introduction and Objectives of the Workshop
Opening remarks:
§ Commonwealth Secretariat; Betty Mould-Iddris, Director, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat
§ No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ); Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, Program Director
§ Manifesto 99; Abdul Rahim Kamara, Director
Keynote address:
§ O.V. Robbin-Mason, Director of Public Prosecutions, representative of the Hon Attorney-General and Minister of Justice
10:15–10:30 Participants’ Introduction
10:30 – 10:45 Coffee Break
10:45–11.15 Development of International human rights law [IHRL] and International Humanitarian Law [IHL]
(Speaker: Betty Mould-Iddris, Director, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat)
Ø Historical development of international human rights law [UN Charter, UDHR, ICCPR, ICESCR (in brief), Regional Conventions, Tiers of Protection (International, Regional, Domestic)]
Ø Historical development of international humanitarian law [Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols, Hague Conventions]
11.15-11.30 Discussion
11:30–12:30 ICTY, ICTR and SCSL
(Speakers: Dr Susan Breau; Ben Brandon; Chris Staker; Daniel Schimnmel; Moderator: Abdul Rahim Kamara)
Ø Difference between the ICC, SCSL and the Tribunals - role of the Security Council (Speaker: Dr Susan Breau)
Ø Experience from the Special Court for Sierra Leone (Speaker: Chris Staker, acting Prosecutor, SCSL )
Ø Experience from the ICTR (Speaker: Daniel Schimmel)
12:30-13:15 Discussion
13:15-14:30 Lunch
14:30 – 15.30 The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
(Speaker: Niccolo Figa-Talamanca)
15:30-16:30 Domestic implementation of international law obligations
(Speakers: Ambassador Kanu, DPR, Mission of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the UN)
16:30-17:00 Discussion
DAY TWO: TUESDAY
09.00-11.00 Crimes under international law (introduction)
Ø War Crimes (Speaker: Robert Young, Advisory Service, ICRC)
Ø Crimes Against Humanity (Speaker: Ben Brandon)
Ø Genocide (Speaker: Dr Susan Breau)
Ø Aggression (Speaker: Ben Brandon)
11:00-11:15 Coffee Break
11.15-13.00 Crimes under Sierra Leone law
(Speaker: Justice Bankole Thompson)
Ø Current law addressing these crimes
Ø Impact of the SCSL
13:00-14:15 Lunch
14:15-16:30 Recommendations on implementing legislation for crimes under international law
DAY THREE: WEDNESDAY
09:00-10:15 Jurisdiction
(Speakers: Fatou Bensouda, Deputy Prosecutor, International Criminal Court; Arvinder Sambei, Monfred Sesay, Senior State Counsel)
Ø General Principles of Jurisdiction (Speaker: Arvinder Sambei)
Ø Principle of Complementarity (Speaker: Fatou Bensouda)
Ø Capacity of the ICC to sit in Sierra Leone (Speakers: Fatou Bensouda; Monfred Sesay)
Ø Using international criminal law in domestic courts (Speaker: Ben Brandon)
10.15 – 11:15 General principles of international criminal law, including defences
(Speakers: Ben Brandon: Paula Howell; Daniel Schimmel; Chris Staker; Fatou Bensouda; Alison Smith, NPWJ; Moderator: Abdul Rahim Kamara)
Ø Principles of criminal responsibility
Ø Defences under international law
Ø Age of responsibility
Ø Offences against the administration of justice
11.15 - 11.30 Coffee break
11:30 – 12:45 Recommendations on implementing legislation for general principles of international criminal law and offences against the administration of justice
12:45-14:00 Lunch
14:00-15:00 Privileges and immunities
(Speaker: Dr Susan Breau)
Ø Sovereign and diplomatic immunity
Ø Privileges and immunities for officials of the Court
Ø Agreement on privileges and immunities
15:00-16:00 Recommendations on implementing legislation for jurisdiction and privileges and immunities
DAY FOUR: THURSDAY
09.00-10.15 Cooperation with the ICC
(Speakers: Alison Smith; Fatou Bensouda; Ambassador Kanu, Gloria Atiba Davies, Arvinder Sambei)
Ø Referral to the ICC
Ø Requests for assistance
Ø Article 98 agreements and conflicting obligations under international law
Ø Arrest and surrender, including transit / contrast with extradition
Ø Enforcement of judgment, sentences and orders
10.15-10.30 Coffee break
10.30-13.00 Recommendations on implementing legislation on cooperation with the ICC
13:00-14:00 Lunch
14:00-16:30 Compiling all written recommendations on implementing legislation
DAY FIVE: FRIDAY
09.00-11.00 Compiling all written recommendations on implementing legislation
11.00-11.15 Coffee break
11.15-13.00 Adoption of recommendations on implementing legislation
-- End of seminar--
