GW Law's Manatt/Ahn Professor of International Law Sean D. Murphy briefed representatives of Missions to the United Nations in New York on “opportunities for convergence on prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity.”
The briefing was in anticipation of a resumed session of the U.N. General Assembly’s Sixth (Legal) Committee in April to discuss whether to move forward with the negotiation of a Convention on Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity, based on draft articles completed by the U.N. International Law Commission in 2019. Professor Murphy was elected to the Commission twice by the General Assembly, serving on it from 2012 to 2022, including as its special rapporteur for crimes against humanity.
“I was delighted to provide comments on why the Commission thought that a new treaty on this topic would be important for filling a gap in the fields of international criminal law and human rights law,” said Murphy. “The basic idea is to adopt a treaty whereby States agree to build up their national criminal laws and jurisdiction so as to deny sanctuary to those who commit these crimes, and to place States in a position to cooperate on matters such as extradition and mutual legal assistance.”
The briefing, which was hosted by the Permanent Missions of Australia, Romania, and Singapore, took the form of a “fireside chat” by which Professor Murphy answered questions posed by the Honorable Judge Mahnoush Arsanjani, the President of the World Bank Administrative Tribunal, as well as questions from government representatives.