Commentary on the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court: Observers' Notes, Article by Article

On 1st July 2008, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court entered into force enabling the ICC, as laid down in the Preamble to the Statute, to affirm "that the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole must not go unpunished and that their effective prosecution must be ensured by taking measures at national level and by enhancing international cooperation". In the second edition of their Commentary, Otto Triffterer and a number of eminent legal practitioners and scholars in the field of international criminal law give a detailed article-by-article analysis of both the Statute as well as the "Elements of Crime" and the "Rules of Procedure and Evidence", adopted by the Assembly of States Parties in 2002, and the "Regulations of the Court", adopted by the Judges of the ICC in 2004. The second edition is a substantially revised and significantly amended version of the first edition of 1999, considering the jurisprudence of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) as well as other international, "semi-international" or national courts and the relevant literature since 1999. The Commentary will be an invaluable aid to all practitioners and scholars dealing with the Rome Statute and the jurisdiction established by its "Complementarity Regime". Review The editor's well-crafted format facilitates ease of reference-designed with the busy reader in mind, given the Herculean nature of this incredibly comprehensive book...The margins' numbered paragraphs yield the ability to more readily peruse and cross-reference specific subsections within the overall project. This useful organizational device greatly enhances both access and ease of reference to this lively account of the Statute's objectives. The exponentially footnoted support makes this new edition a veritable researcher's dream. American Society of International Law Newsletter Issue 39, May 09 Clearly written by experts in the field, skillfully edited, the commentary will prove indispenable to any serious scholar or practitioner of international criminal law...One may hope that... we will wait much less than nine years for the third edition of this important work. Bjorn Elberling German Yearbook of International Law Vol. 51, 2008 The commentary is a valauble help for all practitioners and scholars dealing with the Rome Statue. The European Legal Forum 1-2009 ...indispensable for both academic international lawyers and practitioners, whether at public service or in private practice. Alexander Orakhelashvili European Journal of International Law Vol 20, No 2, April 2009 the 'Triffterer' is still the best commentary on the ICC available on the market at this time and will be useful for practitioners Koninklijke Brill International Criminal Law Review 9 2009 About the Author Otto Triffterer is Professor Emeritus of the University of Salzburg.