Universal Jurisdiction

  Universal jurisdiction refers to the power of a state to try any individual for war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide committed outside its borders, even when those crimes were not committed against that country or its citizens, and even if the accused is not its citizen.

Conference: The Abuse of Universal Jurisdiction

IDF Maj.-Gen. (res.) Doron Almog addressed a conference in London on Nov. 26, 2008 sponsored by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, Global Law Forum and the Henry Jackson Society, through a video link, since according to British law he could be arrested in Britain for allegations made by Palestinian activists with regard to his past efforts to fight terrorist organizations in Gaza.
    The idea of universal jurisdiction was conceived to stop officials who have engaged in war crimes, like genocide, and who have escaped the law. It should be directed at countries like Iran, where those who incite for mass murder are considered heroes, and not against the U.S., the UK and Israel, who are leading the war on terrorism and have functioning legal systems that prosecute those who really violate the laws of war.
    Panel Discussion: Ambassador Dore Gold; Prof. Gregory Gordon - Former Legal Officer, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, first Post-Nuremberg Prosecutions for Incitement to Genocide; Adv. Irit Kohn - former Director of the International Department of the Israeli Ministry of Justice; Prof. Avi Bell - Global Law Forum, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs and Bar-Ilan University; Prof. Eugene Kontorovich - Northwestern University School of Law.

To View Maj.-Gen (res.) Almog's Presentation Click Here
To View Panel Discussion Click Here