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Author	Dr Manjida Ahamed
Organisation/Institution	Middlesex University London
Country	UNITED KINGDOM
Panel	International Law
Title	Breaking the Monolith: Incorporating Epistemically Diverse Perspectives in International Criminal Law
Abstract	The development of international criminal law predominantly reflects European perspectives, with European values and legal frameworks often regarded as the default standard. On multiple occasions, the focus has been directed towards World War I (WWI) and World War II (WWII), emphasising the contributions of Western nations while downplaying the involvement of Asian countries. Since WWI, some Asian countries have actively contributed to the development of international criminal law. However, this involvement is often overlooked or under-represented. There is a significant deficiency in scholarly discourse concerning Japan's involvement in the Commission on War Responsibility in 1919 as well as the impact of the Tokyo Tribunal—particularly in relation to Justice Radhabinod Pal's dissenting opinion. Furthermore, hybrid tribunals, such as the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), alongside purely domestic tribunals like the International Crimes Tribunals (ICTB), significantly contribute to the development of international criminal law. Overall, the paper discusses how several Asian countries – while some powerful Asian states remain outside of the International Criminal Court- actively participate in the ICC and apply the principles of international criminal law within their domestic frameworks, thereby contributing to development and conceptualisation of international criminal law.
Biography	With more than 12 years of professional experience in both academia and legal practice, I am currently a senior lecturer in law at Middlesex University London. Prior to this role, I served as a lecturer in law at Daffodil International University in Dhaka from 2012 to 2015. Additionally, I gained legal practice experience as a junior associate at a law firm named Dr. Hamid and Associates, also based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. I worked as a research assistant for the Bangladesh War Crimes Tribunal Blog. In 2018, I assisted Red Lion Chambers in drafting an amicus curiae on behalf of a Bangladeshi non-governmental representative regarding the Rohingya situation before the International Criminal Court. Most recently, I have been engaged as a national consultant for the “Support Measures Study: Acceleration to Justice” (Bangladesh) in collaboration with the NIRAS-DCAF partnership. I hold a PhD in Law from Middlesex University London, an MSt in Human Rights Law from Oxford, an LLM in International Crime and Justice from the University of Turin and UNICRI, and both LLB and LLM degrees from the University of Dhaka. My research focuses on international criminal law, human rights law, and customary international law.