The Obligation to Extradite or Prosecute*

Prosecution of serious crimes of international concern has been few and far between before and even after the establishment of the International Criminal Court in 2002. Hope thus rests with the implementation of the international legal obligation for States to either extradite or prosecute such perpetrators among themselves or surrender them to a competent international criminal court. This obligation was considered by the United Nations International Law Commission (ILC) which submitted its final report in 2014.

Kittichaisaree, Chairman of the ILC Working Group on that topic, not only provides a guide to the final report, offering an analysis of the subject and a unique summary of its drafting history, he also covers important issues left unanswered by the report, including the customary international legal status of the obligation, the role of the universal jurisdiction, immunities of State officials, and impediments to the surrender of offenders to international criminal courts. Authoritative, encyclopaedic, and essential to those in the field, The Obligation to Extradite or Prosecute also offers practical solutions as to the road ahead.

About the Author

Kriangsak Kittichaisaree is a Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. He has served as a member of the UN International Law Commission and the Chairman of its Working Group on the Obligation to Extradite or Prosecute (aut dedere aut judicare); Chairman of the UN General Assembly's Working Group of the Sixth Committee on the Administration of Justice at the United Nations; and Coordinator of the International Legal Cooperation against Terrorism stream of the Legal Issues Working Group of the Bali Regional Ministerial Meeting on Counter-Terrorism, in response to the Bali Bombing of 12 October 2002 and subsequent terrorist activities in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. He has held visiting professorships at some world-renowned law schools in Australia, Singapore, and the USA. His publications include the pioneering textbook International Criminal Law published by OUP in July 2001.

The PIL Discussion Group hosts a weekly speaker event and light lunch and is a key focal point for PIL@Oxford. Topics involve contemporary and challenging issues in international law. Speakers include distinguished international law practitioners, academics, and legal advisers from around the world.