This book provides a brief overview of the historical roots of the International Criminal Court and explains the unique character and purpose of the principle of complementarity within the Rome Statute and its other constituent instruments. The author also examines article 17, the core provision in relation to complementarity, and describes its application in different phases of the proceedings before the ICC. This study tries to highlight the problematic issue of amnesties, which is not covered by the respective legal instruments, and questions the political and judicial implications of complementarity. This book is intended as a practical handbook rather than a theoretical inquiry.

The Author: Florian Razesberger studied law at the Universities of Vienna, Copenhagen and Innsbruck (Magister iuris 2001, Doctor iuris 2005). After having worked as a Law Clerk at the Regional Court of Innsbruck and as an Assistant Legal Officer within the Presidency/Chambers at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, he worked as a Pro bono Legal Adviser at Africa Middle East Refugee Assistance (AMERA) in Cairo. Since 2005, the author works as a Rule of Law Officer for the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje in the area of judicial reform.