Towards the Human Rights of Future Generations and the Role of Interantional Criminal Court

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Associate Professor of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Economics, Arak University,Arak, Iran

Abstract

The challenges of the past century—such as terrorism, nuclear threats, population growth,and drug trafficking—have significantly impacted global security and human rights. Amongthese, the “Environmental Crisis” stands out as one of the most pressing issues facing theinternational community and the rights of future generations. These rights are increasinglythreatened not only by terrorism and nuclear risks but also by the alarming proliferation of theCOVID-19 pandemic, which has emerged as a formidable challenge in the 21st century. It isessential to recognize that these challenges constitute a substantial part of criminal conduct atvarious national, regional, and international levels. To effectively address the myriad forms ofcrimes against the rights of future generations, the adoption of a robust and effective criminalpolicy is imperative. However, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC)has not sufficiently criminalized or addressed crimes specifically targeting future generations.Nonetheless, the Statute’s provisions concerning recognized international crimes—such aswar crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide—may offer a framework for addressingoffenses that infringe upon the rights of future generations. Thus, it is conceivable to pursueaccountability for such crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC.

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References

 
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Iranian Journal of International and Comparative Law
Volume 3, Issue 1
June 2025
Pages 72-82

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