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After Pinochet:
"developments on head of state and ministerial immunities"

Dame Rosalyn Higgins Delivers Commentary on
a Subject of Continuing Relevance

The grand setting of the Great Hall at Lincoln's Inn played host to the fifth annual ICLR Weekly Law Reports Lecture. The event generated a great deal of interest and sold out in record time, as people took advantage of the rare opportunity to see Dame Rosalyn Higgins speak. The President of the International Court of Justice certainly didn't in any way disappoint, enthralling her audience by delivering a thorough and captivating speech.

Dame Rosalyn Higgins QC,

Lecture Overview:

Dame Rosalyn began by identifying key elements within the Pinochet III decision, and how various concepts have fared since the handing down of the Judgment, including looking at important decisions in national and international jurisdictions (including the International Court of Justice) and to relevant developments in diverse national legislatures with respect to universal jurisdiction. She gave critical attention to the balancing of interests. In particular looking at the interest of the community of mankind in preventing the perpetration of grave crimes by States having a broad enough jurisdiction to prosecute these crimes wherever committed and also the interest of States in acting freely in senior governmental exchanges on the inter-State level, which is buttressed by the law on state immunity.

(for more details please download the lecture transcript)

Below: Dame Rosalyn Higgins enjoys a chat with Lord Bingham

The Great Hall of Lincoln's Inn

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If you would like a printed transcript of the lecture then please email: DanC@iclr.co.uk for more details.