Protección de Derechos Humanos e internacionalización del derecho penal

Abstract

The present paper examines four apparently opposing concepts which pretend to capture the problems and tensions generated by the internationalisation of criminal law. The concepts are: (1) Collective vs. individual responsibility; (2) Human rights vs. criminal courts; (3) Courageous Human Rights Court (Inter-American Court) vs. timid one (European Court of Human Rights)?; (4) Ad Hoc International Criminal Tribunals vs. permanent International Criminal Court. These concepts should be understood as positive and even enriching aspects of international (criminal) law and jurisprudence; either because the suggested contradictions do not exist or because they are the expression of a certain «evolution» with regard to the theory and praxis of the respective human rights systems.