The Criminal Implications of International Armed Conflicts – A theoretical and practical approach

As conflicts all over the world increase and news of atrocities committed continuously disturb the international community, questions on how to prosecute those responsible become more and more prevalent. Additionally, the term “International Criminal Court” has been a topic of discussion, especially with the wars waging all over the world and possible war crimes being committed. However, the pathway of these crimes to the ICC or any international prosecution of individuals as a consequence to their actions is less known.

But how could such international trials be avoided in the first place? The Law of Armed Conflict already offers a thorough set of rules on how war can be waged. However, one needs legal personnel proficient in these laws to avoid criminal action in war and appropriate training to ensure these lessons can be maintained even in the hectic environment of the battlefield.

Speakers Prof. Dr. Robert Esser of the University of Passau, MAJ Jason Young of the US Army in Hohenfels and Sophia-Marie Klingler of the DAJV will share their insights on these two topics as well as experiences and look forward to a lively discussion with participants afterwards – whether it be in person or virtually via Zoom.

This panel is open to everyone by free admission and will be held in English.

Registration is only required to participate in the event online.

Speakers:

Professor Dr. Robert Esser is a German jurist who currently holds a chair on German, European and International Criminal and Criminal Procedural Law, Commercial Criminal Law at the University of Passau in Bavaria, Germany. He undertook his legal education at the University of Trier (Germany) and Uppsala (Sweden) as well as completed his basic military service with the German Air Force. Since 2010 he has been leading the research center “Human Rights in Criminal Proceedings (HRCP)” with a focus on the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Major Jason Young is the senior observer, coach, and trainer at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center near Hohenfels, Germany. He previously served as a brigade judge advocate in the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), and in the 210th Field Artillery Brigade (Korea) and deployed to Iraq as the legal advisor to the Deputy Commanding General – Maneuver for the 3d Infantry Division. The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army, or any other department or agency of the U.S. Government.

Sophia-Marie Klingler is a law student at the University of Passau, where she is currently preparing to take the Staatsexamen. Previously, she has successfully finished her specialization in International Criminal and Criminal Procedural Law as well as stock market and Corporate Law with a thesis on “The Anonymization of Online-Material before convicts’ release from prison – Art. 8 EHRC”. Additionally, she is the current head for the DAJV’s Passau Student Division.