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Gender Justice or Gendered Justice? Female Defendants in International Criminal Tribunals

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Abstract

Recent scholarship has given increasing attention to studying women’s involvement in conflict and mass violence. However, there is comparatively less discussion of the experiences of women as actors and perpetrators in conflict, and limited discussion of women as defendants in international criminal tribunals. This article explores this under-researched area. By analysing legal materials from the cases of six female defendants, this article investigates the extent to which legal discourses are shaped by stereotypes regarding femininity, conflict and peace. It identifies three gender narratives—mothers, monsters and wives—used in relation to female defendants, which highlight the incompatibility of femininity with violence, and deny women’s agency in political and military contexts. Thus, this article concludes that female defendants in international criminal tribunals are viewed through gendered lenses, and discussed in accordance with gendered themes. This gendered justice is problematic, as it reinforces patriarchal gender stereotypes, and may hinder attempts to facilitate gender justice.

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Notes

  1. That is, excluding administration of justice offences.

  2. Calculated with reference to the number of people subject to an arrest warrant, summons or indictment for an international criminal law offence in the Extraordinary African Chambers, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, the ICC, ICTR, ICTY, the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, the Nuremberg International Military Tribunal, the Special Court of Sierra Leone, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the War Crimes Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and prosecutions arising out of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo. The total number of people subject to an arrest warrant, summons or indictment in these courts was 566 as of October 2017.

  3. Prosecutor v Nyiramasuhuko, Ntahobali, Nsabimana, Nteziryayo, Kanyabashi and Ndayambaje (Nyiramasuhuko et al.), Transcript, 6 September 2005, 22.

  4. Prosecutor v Nyiramasuhuko, Ntahobali, Nsabimana, Nteziryayo, Kanyabashi and Ndayambaje, Transcript, 20 April 2009, 25.

  5. Prosecutor v Nyiramasuhuko, Ntahobali, Nsabimana, Nteziryayo, Kanyabashi and Ndayambaje, Transcript, 6 October 2005, 7.

  6. Co-Prosecutors v Chea, Sary, Thirith and Samphan (Chea et al), Closing Order, 002/19-09-2007-ECCC/OCIJ D427, para. 1608.

  7. Prosecutor v Gbagbo, Response on behalf of Simone Gbagbo to the “requête de la République de Côte d’Ivoire sur la recevabilité de l’affaire, le procureur c. Simone Gbagbo et demande de sursis à exécution en vertu des Articles 17, 19 et 95 du Statut de Rome”, ICC-02/11-01/12-39, paras. 39–40.

  8. Prosecutor v Plavšić, Statement by Biljana Plavšić in support of her motion for a change of plea pursuant to Rule 62 bis, IT-00-39&40-PT D6523-D6517, 1.

  9. Prosecutor v Plavšić, Sentencing Hearing, Transcript, 17 December 2002, 610.

  10. Prosecutor v Plavšić, Sentencing Judgment, IT-00-39&40/I-S, para. 93. See also Prosecutor v Plavšić, Sentencing Hearing, Transcript, 16 December 2002.

  11. Co-Prosecutors v Chaem, Closing Order, 004/1/07-09-2009-ECCC-OCIJ, para. 176.

  12. Prosecutor v Nyiramasuhuko, Ntahobali, Nsabimana, Nteziryayo, Kanyabashi and Ndayambaje, Transcript, 31 January 2005, 16.

  13. Prosecutor v Nyiramasuhuko, Ntahobali, Nsabimana, Nteziryayo, Kanyabashi and Ndayambaje, supra n 4, 31.

  14. Ibid 30.

  15. Prosecutor v Plavšić, Transcript, supra n 10, 459.

  16. Prosecutor v Gbgabo, Decision on the Prosecutor’s application pursuant to Article 58 for a warrant of arrest against Simone Gbagbo, ICC-02/11-01/12-2-Red, para. 30.

  17. Ibid.

  18. Ibid para. 5.

  19. Ibid para. 15.

  20. Co-Prosecutors v Chea, Sary, Thirith and Samphan, supra n 7, paras. 994–1017, 1201–1226.

  21. Ibid para. 1202.

  22. Ibid para. 994.

  23. Ibid para. 999.

  24. Ibid para. 1206.

  25. Ibid para. 1224.

  26. Ibid para. 1017.

  27. Ibid para. 1222.

  28. Ibid para. 1587.

  29. Ibid paras. 1605–1606.

  30. Prosecutor v Handanović, First Instance Verdict, S 1 1 K 009162 12 Kro, para 15.

  31. Ibid para. 76.

  32. Prosecutor v Nyiramasuhuko, Ntahobali, Nsabimana, Nteziryayo, Kanyabashi and Ndayambaje, Transcript, 31 August 2005, 48.

  33. Co-Prosecutors v Chaem, supra n 12, para. 165.

  34. Ibid.

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Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Professor Sarah Williams, Professor Louise Chappell, Dr Michael Grewcock and the two anonymous reviewers for their helpful feedback. I would also like to acknowledge the feedback received from participants at the fifth International Criminal Law Workshop held at Melbourne Law School on 4 September 2017. This research was funded partially by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council (DP140102274).

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  1. Faculty of Law, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia

    Natalie Hodgson

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Hodgson, N. Gender Justice or Gendered Justice? Female Defendants in International Criminal Tribunals. Fem Leg Stud 25, 337–357 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10691-017-9359-7

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