Lantos Rule of Law Lecture with Judge Eboe-Osuji

November 14, 2019 

Chile Eboe-Osuji, President, International Criminal Court
Steven Schneebaum, Practitioner-in-Residence and Interim Director of International Law and Organizations
Moderated by Katrina Lantos Swett, President, Lantos Foundation for Human Rights
 
The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and the Conflict Management program hosted the annual Rule of Law Lecture, featuring International Criminal Court (ICC) President Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji. The judge began with remarks about the relationship between the United States and the ICC, which he described as having a complicated history. The US remains a holdout that has never ratified the Rome Statute—the treaty establishing the ICC. In his address, Eboe-Osuji emphasized the importance of the United States joining the court in the future and provided examples of diplomats, legal practitioners and organizations who support this notion.
 
Judge Eboe-Osuji concluded his speech encouraging the US to take a leading place among the nations of the Rome Statute. “The absence of America from the international order, has left the world without its reassuring light, in regards to the rule of law,” he said.
 
Following his remarks, Eboe-Osuji engaged in a conversation with Professor of International Law Steven Schneebaum, moderated by the president of the Lantos Foundation, Katrina Lantos Swett. Each discussant provided their point of view over where the skepticism towards the court comes from and the potential benefits for the world of the US becoming a member.
 
Finally, the audience asked questions regarding mass incarceration in the United States and the notion that even if a country has not joined the Rome Statute, it is still exposed to the jurisdiction of the court.