International Rule of Law and Professional Ethics

1. From domestic to international rule of law : a long and unfinished journey / Veselin Popovski -- 2. "Unqualified human good" or a bit of "ruling class chatter"? : the rule of law at the national and international level / Simon Chesterman -- 3. "Thin theories" of the domestic and international rule of law / Charles Sampford -- 4. Reflections on the rule of law : its scope and significance for partners in development / John Barker -- 5. What is "international impartiality"? / Frederic Megret -- 6. Professions without borders : global ethics and the international rule of law / Charles Sampford -- 7. International civil service ethics, professionalism and the rule of law / Lorne Sossin and Vasuda Sinha -- 8. International rule of law? : ethics and impartiality of legal professionals in international criminal tribunals / Chandra Lekha Sriram -- 9. Judicial ethics at the international criminal tribunals / William Schabas -- 10. Conclusion / Vesselin Popovski.

The concept "rule of law" is well established in domestic constitutions and over many centuries has evolved to signify the supremacy of law above the rich and the powerful, above the potential arbitrariness or bias of human decisions. This book investigates the concept "international rule of law", which can be a problematic one as terms such as "international democracy", "international welfare" or "international freedom of speech" are not commonly used. International rule of law is defined as a process of recognition worldwide that law, both domestic and international, must be supreme and must remain detached from both power and bias. The authors argue that international rule of law is a gradual ascendance of law above power internationally, which can be illustrated in two ways: by global acceptance of the principles of rule of law and by repeated rulings of international tribunals, reaffirming that the supremacy of law places it above political, economic or other considerations. The book also examines how professional ethics, in particular the ethical behaviour of various groups of international employees, such as judges and prosecutors in international tribunals, diplomats and legal advisors, international civil servants and commissioners, can contribute to the development of the international rule of law.