2007: Year of Assessment; Issues and Prospects at the Closing of the First International Courts

2008 is a year for big decisions for the world’s first three international tribunals, as well as the United Nations Security Council. The time is at hand for these tribunals to bring their trials to completion, and beyond that, to organize their own closure, set for 2010. At this watershed moment in the history of international justice, the International Justice Tribune (IJT) has brought out a collection of articles from its newsletter for a first assessment of the tribunals created for Rwanda (ICTR), the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and Sierra Leone (SCSL). What lessons will ensuing generations take from them? 2007: Year of Assessment is a clear, practical reference tool, designed for a broad audience and published in a convenient dual language (French and English) edition, as was the first volume in the series, ICC in 2006: Year One. In his preface, “The ends of international justice: closing international tribunals,” David Tolbert, former deputy chief prosecutor for the ICTY, provides an extensive introduction to the problems and questions facing international justice on the eve of the tribunals’ closing. The first chapter of the book offers important keys to understanding this highly charged moment. A unique comparative table helps readers rapidly grasp the main characteristics of these tribunals and the ones succeeding them. Chapter two gives a thorough overview of the ICC’s activities in 2007. A new, updated map allows readers to situate the ICC’s presence around the world. Continuing the series’ focus on diplomatic matters, chapter three looks at major regional powers and analyzes their policies regarding international justice. 2007: Year of Assessment is intended for all those interested in international justice—both actors and observers. Political analysts, legal experts, researchers, and journalists, regardless of their familiarity with the IJT, will find this book a comprehensive and informative source for understanding. The success of the first volume has confirmed that this collection is an essential reference for university programs, seminars, and courses on international justice.