Universalitetsprincipen som folkrättslig norm
(2023) JURM02 20231Department of Law
Faculty of Law
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Universalitetsprincipen betraktas av vissa som ett medel för världssamfundet att komma till rätta med en särskild kategori allvarliga brott, de så kallade in-ternationella brotten. Universalitetsprincipen ger därmed stater rätt att genom sina nationella domstolar utöva straffrättslig jurisdiktion över dessa brott. Staters jurisdiktionsanspråk med stöd av principen härleds således direkt utifrån brottets art. Universalitetsprincipen vilar på tankegångar om staters gemen-samma intressen, och det anses ligga i världssamfundets intresse att misstänkta förövare av de internationella brotten inte ska undgå bestraffning.
Universalitetsprincipen som folkrättslig norm sätter de yttre gränserna för staters möjlighet att utvidga sin... (More) - Universalitetsprincipen betraktas av vissa som ett medel för världssamfundet att komma till rätta med en särskild kategori allvarliga brott, de så kallade in-ternationella brotten. Universalitetsprincipen ger därmed stater rätt att genom sina nationella domstolar utöva straffrättslig jurisdiktion över dessa brott. Staters jurisdiktionsanspråk med stöd av principen härleds således direkt utifrån brottets art. Universalitetsprincipen vilar på tankegångar om staters gemen-samma intressen, och det anses ligga i världssamfundets intresse att misstänkta förövare av de internationella brotten inte ska undgå bestraffning.
Universalitetsprincipen som folkrättslig norm sätter de yttre gränserna för staters möjlighet att utvidga sin straffrättsliga jurisdiktion, men inom denna ram avgör varje enskild stat hur principen tillämpas nationellt. Det råder dock skilda uppfattningar både i doktrin och statspraxis hur universalitetsprincipen bör tillämpas och exakt vilka åtgärder som normen tillåter stater att vidta. Världssamfundets kamp att bekämpa straffrihet för de internationella brotten är således beroende av staters nationella åtgärder. Därmed kan det uppstå en diskrepans mellan å ena sidan universalitetprincipens syfte i teorin, och å andra sidan principens faktiska genomslag i praktiken.
Uppsatsen har ett tvåfaldigt syfte. Dels klargöra universalitetsprincipen som folkrättslig norm och hur den förhåller sig till andra folkrättsliga normer. Dels belysa det bakomliggande syftet med principen och illustrera hur syftet får genomslag i nationell rätt. Av tid och utrymmesskäl har det sistnämnda syftet begränsats till svensk rätt, i vilket den svenska rättsordningen används som hjälpmedel för att illustrera principens syftes genomslag på nationellt plan. För att fastställa universalitetsprincipen som rättsnorm och förhållandet till andra folkrättsliga normer tillämpas en rättsdogmatisk metod. Vidare används en teleologisk metod för att belysa normernas bakomliggande syfte och hur dessa normer harmoniserar med varandra.
Universalitetsprincipen förefaller vara en vidsträckt rättighet enligt sedvanerätten. Stater kan sträcka sin jurisdiktion över de särskilda internationella brotten oberoende av andra anknytningsfaktorer till den åtalande staten. Trots att stater ges tämligen långtgående möjligheter att utöva domsrätt för att uppnå princi-pens syfte, uppstår en diskrepans mellan teori och praktik. Uppsatsen upp-märksammar att principens syftes fulla genomslag i praktiken motarbetas ge-nom bland annat en restriktiv tillämpning i nationell rätt. Detta framgår av principens tillämpning i svensk rätt, som mot bakgrund av Högsta domstolens resonemang i målet ”Universalitetsprincipen” från 2022 tycks begränsa prin-cipen. Enligt domstolens krävs ytterligare förutsättningar, utöver brottets art, för svensk domsrätt. Vidare, i samspelet med andra folkrättsliga normer, begränsas universalitetsprincipens syfte i den mån principen inte står i harmoni med andra folkrättsliga normers intressen. (Less) - Abstract
- The principle of universality is considered by some as a tool to combat impu-nity for a certain category of serious international crimes. The principle ena-bles national courts of States to exercise universal criminal jurisdiction over these international crimes. States assertion of universal jurisdiction derives directly from the character of the crime. The universality principle is rooted in the notion of common interests between states, and the prevention of impunity against perpetrators of international crimes is deemed to be in the interest of the international community as a whole.
The principle of universality as an international norm establishes the extent to which States may adjudicate based on such jurisdiction, but within... (More) - The principle of universality is considered by some as a tool to combat impu-nity for a certain category of serious international crimes. The principle ena-bles national courts of States to exercise universal criminal jurisdiction over these international crimes. States assertion of universal jurisdiction derives directly from the character of the crime. The universality principle is rooted in the notion of common interests between states, and the prevention of impunity against perpetrators of international crimes is deemed to be in the interest of the international community as a whole.
The principle of universality as an international norm establishes the extent to which States may adjudicate based on such jurisdiction, but within these limits each individual State determines the application of the principle in their do-mestic courts. However, the exact scope and application of the norm lacks consensus among international law experts as well as in State practice. The international community’s effort to end impunity is dependent on States im-plementation and exercise in their own domestic courts. Thus, a discrepancy may exist between the purpose of the principle in theory and its actual impact through State practice.
The thesis has two main objectives. Firstly, clarify the universality principle as an international norm and its relationship with other international norms. Sec-ondly, to present the underlying purpose of the principle of universality and illustrate how the purpose manifests on a national level. To establish the prin-ciple of universality and the principle relationship to other international norms the thesis applies a legal dogmatic approach. Additionally, a teleological meth-od is used to illustrate the underlying purpose of the international norms and whether they align with each other or not.
The scope of the principle of universality appears to be quite broad as provid-ed by customary international law. States can assert their jurisdiction over the international crimes without any other additional link to the exercising State. Although the possibility for States to adjudicate is quite broad, there exists a discrepancy between theory and practice. The thesis sheds light on the fact that a restrictive application in domestic courts hinders the full potential impact of the principle of universality’s original intention. This restrictive approach is reflected in Sweden’s application of the principle of universality, as ruled in the Swedish Supreme Court’s judgment in "The Universality Principle” from 2022. According to the judgment, the exercise of universal jurisdiction in do-mestic courts requires other links to Sweden, in addition to the nature of the crime. Furthermore, the thesis illustrates that the interaction between other international norms also appear to limit the impact of the principle of univer-sality’s objective, due to conflicting interests between different norms. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9116496
- author
- Wikner, Clara LU
- supervisor
- organization
- alternative title
- The princple of universality as an international norm
- course
- JURM02 20231
- year
- 2023
- type
- H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
- subject
- keywords
- folkrätt, internationell straffrätt, universalitetsprincipen, folkrättsliga normer, jurisdiktion.
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 9116496
- date added to LUP
- 2023-06-19 10:56:30
- date last changed
- 2023-06-19 10:56:30
@misc{9116496,
abstract = {{The principle of universality is considered by some as a tool to combat impu-nity for a certain category of serious international crimes. The principle ena-bles national courts of States to exercise universal criminal jurisdiction over these international crimes. States assertion of universal jurisdiction derives directly from the character of the crime. The universality principle is rooted in the notion of common interests between states, and the prevention of impunity against perpetrators of international crimes is deemed to be in the interest of the international community as a whole.
The principle of universality as an international norm establishes the extent to which States may adjudicate based on such jurisdiction, but within these limits each individual State determines the application of the principle in their do-mestic courts. However, the exact scope and application of the norm lacks consensus among international law experts as well as in State practice. The international community’s effort to end impunity is dependent on States im-plementation and exercise in their own domestic courts. Thus, a discrepancy may exist between the purpose of the principle in theory and its actual impact through State practice.
The thesis has two main objectives. Firstly, clarify the universality principle as an international norm and its relationship with other international norms. Sec-ondly, to present the underlying purpose of the principle of universality and illustrate how the purpose manifests on a national level. To establish the prin-ciple of universality and the principle relationship to other international norms the thesis applies a legal dogmatic approach. Additionally, a teleological meth-od is used to illustrate the underlying purpose of the international norms and whether they align with each other or not.
The scope of the principle of universality appears to be quite broad as provid-ed by customary international law. States can assert their jurisdiction over the international crimes without any other additional link to the exercising State. Although the possibility for States to adjudicate is quite broad, there exists a discrepancy between theory and practice. The thesis sheds light on the fact that a restrictive application in domestic courts hinders the full potential impact of the principle of universality’s original intention. This restrictive approach is reflected in Sweden’s application of the principle of universality, as ruled in the Swedish Supreme Court’s judgment in "The Universality Principle” from 2022. According to the judgment, the exercise of universal jurisdiction in do-mestic courts requires other links to Sweden, in addition to the nature of the crime. Furthermore, the thesis illustrates that the interaction between other international norms also appear to limit the impact of the principle of univer-sality’s objective, due to conflicting interests between different norms.}},
author = {{Wikner, Clara}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Universalitetsprincipen som folkrättslig norm}},
year = {{2023}},
}