Codification of International Legal Rules on Universal Criminal Jurisdiction: Current Status and Prospects

The process of codifying universal criminal jurisdiction has been taking place for more than 15 years. An informal and official codification are tacitly distinguished. The unofficial principles include the Princeton and Krakow principles, which highlighted the gaps in the study and application of universal criminal jurisdiction. Formal codification includes the work of the Sixth Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations, in which universal criminal jurisdiction is studied in more detail on the basis of positions provided by UN member states. The issues of application and codification of criminal jurisdiction require further study by the international community, which is aware of the need for universal jurisdiction in view of the particularly serious nature of certain crimes committed in the world, in which jurisdiction extending to the sovereign territory of a state often proves powerless. Universal jurisdiction is a key definition in the fight against impunity for crimes in the 21st century, requiring legal regulation for its implementation in accordance with international law. The paper examines the issues on which states must reach a consensus: the scope and coverage of universal criminal jurisdiction, the conditions of its application, the crimes falling under it and, of course, the definition of the term.