Regulation 55 of the Regulations of the International Criminal Court draws on a civil law tradition which allows the legal characterization of the facts to be amended while criminal proceedings are on foot. Great care must be taken in its implementation. Our due process alarm bells should start to ring the moment the purpose of putting an end to impunity begins to override fundamental human rights. No matter how commendable the goal of ending impunity, the consequence of ignoring fundamental fair trial guarantees in the process, paradoxically, undermines the validity of that very pursuit.

Commentary on Judgment on the appeals of Mr Lubanga Dyilo and the Prosecutor against the Decision of Trial Chamber I of 14 July 2009 entitled “Decision giving notice to the parties and participants that the legal characterisation of the facts may be subject to change in accordance with Regulation 55(2) of the Regulations of the Court”, Situation In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo In The Case Of The Prosecutor V.Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Case No. ICC-01/04-01/06-2205, A.Ch., 8 December 2009.