Principles of International Criminal Law

Principles of International Criminal Law has become one of the most influential textbooks in the field of international criminal justice. It offers a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the foundations and principles of substantive international criminal law, including thorough discussion of its core crimes. It provides a detailed understanding of the general principles, sources, and evolution of international criminal law, demonstrating how it has developed, and how its application has changed. After establishing the general principles, the book assesses the four key international crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.
This new edition revises and updates the work with developments in international criminal justice since 2009. It includes new material on the principle of culpability as one of the fundamental principles of international criminal law, the notion of terrorism as a crime under international law, the concept of direct participation in hostilities, the problem of so-called unlawful combatants, the issue of targeted killings, the `policy element' of crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression. The book retains its highly-acclaimed systematic approach and consistent methodology, making it essential reading for students and scholars of international criminal law, as well as for practitioners and judges working in the field.

Gerhard Werle is Professor of German and International Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure and Modern Legal History at Humboldt-Universitât zu Berlin, Extraordinary Professor of Law at the University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, and Honorary Professor at North-West University of Political Science and Law, Xi'an. He has been a visiting professor at various universities worldwide, including Columbia Law School, New York; Kansai University, Osaka; University of Sydney; University of Cape Town; and University of the Western Cape where he is Director of the South African-German Centre for Transnational Criminal Justice.
Florian Jessberger is Professor of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, International Criminal Law and Modern Legal History at Universitt Hamburg and a Co-Editor of the Journal of International Criminal Justice. He has been a visiting scholar at University of California, Berkeley; University of the Western Cape, Cape Town; China University of Political Science and Law, Beijing; and University of Naples.