The power of words — on how the definitions of crimes in international criminal law lie at the crossroads of semiotics and manifest evil

Tomasz Iwanek

Opublikowane:

Tom 17 (2016)

The power of words — on how the definitions of crimes in international criminal law lie at the crossroads of semiotics and manifest evil

Tomasz Iwanek

Abstrakt

Abstract: The power of words — on how the definitions of crimes in international criminal law lie at the crossroads of semiotics and manifest evil

Legal language is paradoxical: it is both open to interpretation and strict, often broad in meaning and specific in semantic content at the same time. Moreover, the legal language of criminal law is a reflection of axiological and moral values and assessments. The paper embraces that paradox and discusses two issues that stem from it in relation to international criminal law: the semantic challenges inherent in legal language pertaining to atrocity crimes and the entwined evolution of their criminal legal definitions. Its outset is the realization, that while the application of law by a court is predominantly an linguistic exercise, it must also provide specific, clear and axiologically sound solutions, absolutely necessary in the process of ascertaining the criminal responsibility of the individual. This phenomenon is especially evident in the legal language relating to international crimes, as it faces not only the challenge of being a strict definition of a crime, and thus bound to be clear and precise; it also must contend with the need to express manifest evil, as international crimes are often and rightly viewed as being singular in their heinousness. In eight parts, this article strives to present the challenges and evolution of the aforementioned issues.

Keywords: criminal law, international public law, genocide, war crimes, atrocity, legal interpretation, legal language, semantics, armed conflict

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Iwanek, T. (2018). The power of words — on how the definitions of crimes in international criminal law lie at the crossroads of semiotics and manifest evil. Studia Politicae Universitatis Silesiensis, 17. Pobrano z https://journals.us.edu.pl/index.php/SPUS/article/view/5715

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Tomasz Iwanek

tomasz.iwanek@us.edu.pl

Afiliacja:

University of Silesia in Katowice, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Political Science and Journalism

Biogram

doktor nauk prawnych, Master of Science, adiunkt w Zakładzie Stosunków Międzynarodowych Uniwersytetu Śląskiego w Katowicach, Referendarz Sądowy w Sądzie Rejonowym oraz absolwent Krajowej Szkoły Sądownictwa i Prokuratury w Krakowie. Naukowo i dydaktycznie specjalizuje się w prawie międzynarodowym publicznym, prawie konfliktów zbrojnych, międzynarodowym prawie karnym oraz polskim prawie karnym. Uczestniczył w konferencjach, seminariach i kwerendach naukowych w polskich i zagranicznych uczelniach wyższych. Laureat międzynarodowych konkursów typu Moot Court (Telders International Law Moot Court Competition, EJTN Moot Court, Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition). Autor i redaktor naukowy publikacji w języku polskim oraz angielskim, w tym m.in.: Zbrodnia ludobójstwa i zbrodnie przeciwko ludzkości. Penalizacja masowych zbrodni w systemie prawa międzynarodowego. Warszawa 2015; Zbrodnia agresji w prawie międzynarodowym. Stan po nowelizacji Statutu Rzymskiego MTK. W: „Studia Politicae Universitatis Silesiensis. T. 11. Red. J. Iwanek i M. Stolarczyk, współpr. R. Glajcar. Katowice 2013; Zbrodnia ludobójstwa w prawie międzynarodowym. Problemy skuteczności i efektywności. W: Zbrodnia i kara: ludobójstwo, zbrodnie wojenne, zbrodnie przeciwko ludzkości. Red. K. Żarna, W. Wacławczyk. Toruń 2011; The 2003 Iraq Invasion — How the System Failed. “Journal of Conflict and Security Law” 2010, No 1.

Tom 17 (2016)
Opublikowane: 2018-01-25

ISSN: 1895-3492

eISSN: 2353-9747

10.31261/spus

Wydawca

Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego | University of Silesia Press

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