Oxford Global Justice Internship Report - Aman

With the support of the Oxford Global Justice Internship Programme, I was able to complete a six month internship at the Trial Chambers, International Criminal Court [‘ICC’] at The Hague in 2013, The Netherlands under the supervision of Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji and the team of legal officers assisting him.

In this period of six months, I gained great familiarity with the working of the Trial Chambers at the ICC. I had been actively involved with the trials in relation to the situations in Kenya and Darfur. More specifically, I had contributed to a large extent in the drafting of the decisions, separate opinions and orders; prepared memorandums; assisted in the preparation of the witness summaries; and helped the judges and the legal officers in other trial procedures. I have also greatly benefitted from my interactions with the Judges, the legal officers and the other interns hailing from different parts of the world. My understanding about the Court, its functioning, its mandate and its impact is richer for such interactions.

For someone like me who has a keen interest in public international law, the experience of working with a trial judge was very rewarding. Besides catering to my interest in international law, this experience helped me closely observe and participate in the settlement of international disputes, the area in which I wish to focus my career. The internship has also helped me further appreciate the role of international law as one of the powerful instruments to deal with issues related to human rights abuses, regulation of modern methods of war and has reinforced my desire to make a substantial contribution in this field.