Phnom Penh, Cambodia - The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) on 23 October 2023 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for the organization of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Moot Court Competition in Cambodia. The organization of this event aims to foster knowledge of IHL among students, academics, and other relevant stakeholders.
H.E. Tony Kranh, Acting Director of Administration of the ECCC said, “it is a great privilege to sign this MoU with the ICRC. We believe that this cooperation will enhance learning about IHL, an important area of jurisprudence to which the ECCC has contributed significantly through its various investigations and trials. To achieve the objectives of the MoU, the ECCC will host the annual IHL Moot Court Competition at its new premises, share its established network of jurists, and disseminate information and awareness about the IHL Moot Court Competition during the ECCC’s residual phase”.
Mr. Barnabe Reaud, Deputy Protection Coordinator of ICRC said, “the ICRC is very thankful to the ECCC for its on-going support to take over the arrangement of the IHL Moot Court Competition. The IHL Moot Court can constitute an excellent opportunity for law students to enrich their curriculum and knowledge of IHL and related branches of international law. Our legal team will continue to support the implementation of the promotion of IHL moot court competition. We firmly believe that this year’s Competition will provide an exceptional experience to law students from enacting their legal argument in front of the jury at the ECCC”.
Under the MoU, the ICRC will continue to provide the legal materials and provide contact details of academic partners and relevant stakeholders, while the ECCC is responsible for organization of the competition including hosting the national rounds. The ECCC and the ICRC will continue to support the winning team to take part in existing regional or global IHL competitions, such as the IHL Moot Court in Hong Kong.
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NOTE TO EDITOR:
- The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) are a domestic judicial institution established in accordance with Cambodian law. The ECCC has jurisdiction to bring to trial senior leaders of Democratic Kampuchea and those who were most responsible for the crimes and serious violations of Cambodian penal law, international humanitarian law and custom that were committed during the period from 17 April 1975 to 6 January 1979. Following completion of its judicial proceedings, the ECCC commenced residual functions in January 2023 for an initial period of three years in accordance with the Addendum to the UN-RGC Agreement concerning the ECCC. During this time, the ECCC is, among other functions, disseminate information to the public and ensure its archives are as broadly accessible as possible.
- The work of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is based on the Geneva Conventions of 1949, their Additional Protocols, its Statutes – and those of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement – and the resolutions of the International Conferences of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The ICRC is an impartial, neutral, and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situation of violence and to provide them with assistance. The ICRC has been working in Cambodia for over 40 years to undertake its humanitarian activities and to promote IHL, including among academic circles. One way to promote this branch of International Law is to partner with universities and other relevant stakeholders to organize events such as moot court competitions.
