IRRC No. 870
Aspects of victim participation in the proceedings of the International Criminal Court
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Participation of victims in criminal proceedings is generally a rather new phenomenon. The drafters of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Statute chose to design a rather broad victim participation scheme. Although it is hailed as an important and effective instrument to give victims of gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law a voice, the procedural and substantive details are far from being settled. Some of the most significant issues are discussed in this article, including the question whether and how victim participation may influence sentencing and punishment.