Hierarchy of crimes

Notion(s) Filing Case
Appeal Judgement - 04.12.2001 KAYISHEMA & RUZINDANA
(ICTR-95-1-A)

367.    […] The Appeals Chamber remarks that there is no hierarchy of crimes under the Statute, and that all of the crimes specified therein are “serious violations of international humanitarian law”,[1] capable of attracting the same sentence. The actual sentence imposed depends, of course, upon the evaluation of the various factors referred to in the Statute and the Rules. The Appeals Chamber finds that the Trial Chamber’s description of genocide as the “crime of crimes” was at the level of general appreciation, and did not impact on the sentence it imposed. Furthermore, upon examining the statements of the Trial Chamber, it is evident that the primary thrust of its finding as to the gravity of the offences relates to the fact that genocide in itself is a crime that is extremely grave. Such an observation is correct, and for these reasons, there was no error in its finding on this point.

[1] Article 1 of the Statute.

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ICTR Statute Article 23(2) ICTY Statute Article 24(2)