A restorative response to victims in proceedings before the international criminal court: Reality or chimaera?

Abstract

The integration of the framework of victims’ participation into the legal proceeding of the International Criminal Court (icc) has been seen as a transformation of the icc process beyond narrow retribution to better accommodate restorative justice (rj) values and practices. However, there is little research into whether, or how the icc metes out rj. This article argues that rj principles brought within icc emphasise the growing importance that victims’ participation in proceedings plays in achieving justice for victims. It then examines how the icc process aligns to the key elements of rj practice, namely victim-offender meeting; offender’s acknowledgement of responsibility and apology; collaborative conflict-resolution approach; victims’ healing and reconciliation; symbolic reparation and material restitution. This article demonstrates that these elements, developed to address ordinary juvenile criminality, are not structured to operate in the particular context of the icc, characterised by grave harm caused to victims and communities by mass atrocity.