In international law, what is meant by the principle of 'universal jurisdiction' regarding heinous offenses?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. any national court can prosecute war crimes
- Step 1: Universal jurisdiction is a legal principle allowing states to claim criminal jurisdiction over an accused person regardless of where the crime was committed. It applies to crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide, and torture, ensuring that perpetrators of heinous acts cannot find safe harbor anywhere. Answer: any national court can prosecute war crimes. Why not the others: "offenses can only be adjudicated within the domestic territory where they occurred" describes the standard principle of territoriality, which universal jurisdiction specifically overrides; "diplomats enjoy permanent legal immunity" confuses universal human rights jurisdiction with diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention; "only military tribunals have legal power" universal jurisdiction is exercised primarily by ordinary civilian national courts and international tribunals.
Practise more Political Economy, Jurisprudence and Sociolinguistics.
Free questions with an explanation for every one, and full timed State Certificate of Language Proficiency (KPG) English mock tests.
More Political Economy, Jurisprudence and Sociolinguistics questions
- In political economy, what defines a 'progressive tax system'?
- What was the primary function of the ancient Greek Panathenaic Games held in classical Athens?
- In ethical philosophy, what distinguishes 'utilitarianism' (Bentham, Mill) from 'deontology' (Kant)?
- What was the main purpose of the Delian League's common treasury initially established on the island of Delos in 478 BC?
- In literary studies, what does the technique of 'dramatic irony' entail in theatrical storytelling?
- What is the central concept of Michel Foucault's theory of 'panopticism' in modern disciplinary society?