The Law of Command Responsibility

International criminal tribunals have been entrusted with the judicial powers to hold natural persons individually responsible for the most serious international crimes, including genocide, crimes against humanity, and other war crimes. However, these international tribunals are limited in their investigative powers and thus are not capable of trying every single individual who takes part in these international crimes. As a result, international tribunals have placed a strong focus on the 'superiors' of organized groups of individuals, such as the military. This is where 'the law of command responsibility' plays a crucial role as a legal tool for international tribunals: to impose criminal liability on superiors for the crimes of their subordinates. Under international humanitarian law, superiors have a duty to ensure that their subordinates will comply with the rules of international humanitarian law in armed conflicts. Superiors have this duty because of their position of command over, and their influence upon, their subordinates. This book examines the importance of the law of command responsibility.