80 years since the Nuremberg trials
The Tribunal was established to investigate the crimes committed during the war and ensure the criminal responsibility of political and military leaders – one of the war's primary aims. It was crucial to prevent the highest-ranking officials in the Nazi regime from evading accountability for their actions.
After the war ended, the Allies – the United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and France – took the lead in the devastated Europe and organised the trials, thereby facilitating a new beginning and post-war reconstruction. While the trials could not eliminate the burden and the difficult consequences endured by countless victims from different countries, peoples and communities, they did provide some satisfaction and assurance to the victims of atrocities, their loved ones and society at large that no one could escape the long arm of justice and that the perpetrators would be punished.
The establishment of the Nuremberg Tribunal, along with the rules that governed its operations and decision-making processes, laid the foundations for international criminal justice. Following decisions by the UN Security Council, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia was established in 1993, followed by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in 1994. In 1998, a decision was taken at a conference in Rome to establish the International Criminal Court. The Rome Statute entered into force on 1 July 2002, establishing the first independent criminal court with the mandate to investigate and prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and acts of aggression. Thus, the International Criminal Court was created. Operating within the framework of the UN system and building on the legacy of the Nuremberg trials, the ICC has jurisdiction over the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole.
The Nuremberg Tribunal also demonstrated that, despite having potentially diverging views and different legal systems, members of the international community can act in unison when they respect the same fundamental values and are determined to deliver justice. They were willing to draw the line between what was permissible and what was not, and were committed to taking action. Their constructive cooperation and endeavours to find solutions based on their mutual understanding and respect were key to achieving the shared goal of international peace and security.
Slovenia is a fervent advocate of the rule of law and accountability. It participated in establishing the International Criminal Court and has contributed to the functioning of the Rome Statute system. In 2011, Slovenia joined the so-called MLA initiative, which aimed to draft a modern multilateral treaty establishing conditions for effective mutual legal assistance and cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of the most serious international crimes. From 15 to 26 May 2023, Ljubljana hosted an intergovernmental negotiating conference, which concluded with the adoption of the Ljubljana–The Hague Convention on International Cooperation in the Investigation and Prosecution of the Crime of Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes and Other International Crimes. The Convention will facilitate international cooperation between competent national authorities and strengthen national judicial capacities.