Book Review: International tribunals and human security

• Author: Charisse T. M. Coston,Haley Bullard
• Date: 01 December 2017
• Published date: 01 December 2017
• DOI: 10.1177/1057567717721296
• Subject Matter: Book Reviews

Meernik, J. (2016).

International tribunals and human security. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2016. v, 197 pp. $35.

ISBN 978-1-4422-6966-8

Reviewed by: Haley Bullard and Charisse T. M. Coston, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte,

NC, USA

DOI: 10.1177/1057567717721296

I was taken aback by Meernick’s ability to vividly illustrate the impact of international criminal law

on areas overcome by distress while still maintaining an evidence-based evaluation. He is able to

examine, through extensive knowledge of international law and the international criminal justice

system, whether international tribunals have advanced or harmed human security. Although it is

quite difficult to quantify the exact benefits of international justice, Meernik takes us on a thorough

journey through an extensive quality research review of multiple international tribunals and their

contribution to international justice.

In Chapter 1, Meernick describes the pilgrimage from the first international tribunal, the

Nuremberg Tribunal, to the three principle ad hoc tribunals as well as the permanent International

Criminal Court (ICC). It is critical to notice the important interest in which the tribunals hold.

They are not judged on the same standards as ordinary courts. They must fun ction as independent

institutions but manage in a domain in which it is a dependent political institution. The scope of

crimes within international tribunals is so heinous that they were created with the intent to provide

more than justice. They were created to help verify that crimes such as these cannot be tolerated,

and in many cases because the areas affected, cannot survive, or be repeated. Meernick is able to

convey the substantial goal of peace for nations effected as well as those who are not directly

effected. Through the future chapters, Meernick evaluates the goals and how well the international

tribunals have captured the intent they were created for. They evaluate the success and failures

within the tribunals and whether or not they account for the vast expense and time it takes in

maneuvering international tribunals

Meernick begins his evaluation with the core value of tribunals: justice. In Chapter 2, he reviews

whether justice provided by the international tribunals is fair, unbiased, and reasonable. It also takes

a glimpse at justice within the realm of completing and delivering judgments. It is clear that the

tribunals have issues, as does any justice system, yet Meernick makes the claim that they kept their

vow to bestow justice. Meernick’s research demonstrates that fairness is improving, as in the

creation of a larger appeals system as well as large numbers of international organizations investing

in the interests of defense attorneys. On the contrary, there have been issues with the prosecutor’s

evidence disclosure and resources inequities that arise within international justice. It would seem

that although international justice is a piece of human secu rity, it alone will not be enough to

reconcile the unjust created. Meernick goes on to explain that it is a building block in a flawed

system that can only begin the process of reconstructing and securing truth through reconciliation. It

is not within concrete evidence that we can see the helpful impact that tribunals have on human

security, yet it has shown its self-evident movement forward.

Chapter 3 asks the question: Have human right conditions in areas targeted by the tribunals

improved since the courts b egan jurisdictio n? The objective o f the internatio nal strategy of pr o-

secuting war criminals was to enact the benchmark that the protection of human rights is a duty of

all governments not just tribunals. Governments are to invoke a message of zero tolerance toward

human rights abuses when taken to the highest authorities. The provocation for us as on lookers is

to determine the effect and influence that tribunals may have on deterrence. Meernick breaks down

components of the casual process of tribunals intent to advance human rights. Throughout data

gathered, Meernick suggests that in some cases human rights have certainly improved and in some

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