Abstract

Hybrid tribunals have been established in recent years for investigating and prosecuting individuals accused of gross violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. They are termed 'hybrid ‘as their composition, and applicable law embraces both international and national elements. Currently, there are six tribunals in operation, namely, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, the International Judges and Prosecutors Programme in Kosovo, the War Crimes Chamber for Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Iraqi High Tribunal, and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Different mechanisms have established them. The present paper seeks to highlight the key elements of these tribunals, which are common to all and their advantages and disadvantages. The prime focus of this paper is the Special Tribunal for Lebanon which is a unique model in itself. It also discusses how these hybrid tribunals place themselves within the framework of international criminal law and the justice system.

Keywords