III.  ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE RIGHTS OF VICTIMS children, child prostitution and child pornography,114 few international human rights treaties contain provisions regarding the criminalization and prosecution of human rights violations. Yet, even if certain human rights violations are not covered in specific treaties, perpetrators may be brought to justice if the violations correspond to genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes in those cases where the International Criminal Court can exercise jurisdiction, or under domestic law, which sometimes allows for its extraterritorial application to certain serious violations of international human rights law. (b)  The extent of individual criminal responsibility The Rome Statute provides the most recent codification of individual responsibility for international crimes. Article 25.3 indicates that “in accordance with this Statute, a person shall be criminally responsible and liable for punishment for a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court” and then lists a series of criminal behaviour, such as committing the crime, ordering or instigating it. It is particularly important for human rights officers confronted by an ongoing situation to note that, according to article 25.3 (f) of the Rome Statute, “a person who abandons the effort to commit the crime or otherwise prevents the completion of the crime shall not be liable for punishment under this Statute for the attempt to commit that crime if that person completely and voluntarily gave up the criminal purpose.” This key provision might facilitate the efforts of human rights advocates who are trying to use the threat of possible international prosecution to influence ongoing events. Here are some of the most important principles in individual criminal responsibility: recruitment and use, including the adoption of legal measures necessary to prohibit and criminalize such practices.” 114   See arts. 3 and 7. 77

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