As an AI language model, I can provide you with some significant legal decisions made in international courts in recent years, but please note that there are several ongoing cases and it can be difficult to determine the exact top 10 for the current year. Nonetheless, here are ten significant international court decisions from recent years:
1. International Court of Justice (ICJ) – Myanmar vs. Gambia – In January 2020, the ICJ ordered Myanmar to take measures to protect the Rohingya population from genocide and preserve evidence of alleged crimes against them.
2. European Court of Justice (ECJ) – Schrems II – In July 2020, the ECJ invalidated the Privacy Shield agreement between the EU and the US, stating that it did not provide adequate protection for personal data sent to the US due to US surveillance practices.
3. International Criminal Court (ICC) – Al Mahdi Case – In 2016, the ICC found Ahmad Al Mahdi guilty of war crimes for his involvement in the destruction of cultural heritage sites in Timbuktu, Mali. It was the ICC’s first case focusing solely on the destruction of cultural property.
4. Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) – South China Sea Arbitration – In 2016, the PCA ruled that China’s extensive claims and construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea violated the territorial rights of the Philippines.
5. International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) – Srebrenica Genocide – In 2004, the ICTY determined that the infamous Srebrenica massacre in 1995 was a genocide committed by Bosnian Serb forces.
6. International Court of Justice (ICJ) – Nuclear Weapons Advisory Opinion – In 1996, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion stating that the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons would generally be contrary to international humanitarian law.
7. International Criminal Court (ICC) – Lubanga Case – In 2012, the ICC convicted Thomas Lubanga, a Congolese warlord, for the war crime of conscripting and using child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
8. International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) – Akayesu Case – In 1998, the ICTR found Jean-Paul Akayesu guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity for his role in the Rwandan genocide.
9. European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) – Asselborn v. Luxembourg – In 2017, the ECHR ruled that Luxembourg violated the freedom of expression of a journalist, Michel Asselborn, when they convicted him for publishing a critical article about a public prosecutor.
10. International Court of Justice (ICJ) – Nicaragua v. United States – In 1986, the ICJ ruled against the United States for its support of Contras in Nicaragua, stating that the US had violated international law with military and paramilitary activities.
These are just a few examples of significant legal decisions in international courts. Please note that the list is not exhaustive and is based on recent years.
