Prosecution and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide

Part I of this Article scrutinizes the current definition of genocide in view of its theoretical circumscription in the Genocide Convention and with special reference to the judgment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Prosecutor v. Akayesu. Part II considers the validity and the application of the principle of universal jurisdiction to the crime of genocide, and the consequent duty of states to bring perpetrators of genocide to justice. Part III focuses on the jurisdiction ratione materia of the ICC regarding the crime of genocide. Part IV will pay special attention to the prosecution of genocide in the United States.