2025 European Visits: Highlights from The Hague
This summer, three groups of Lincoln’s Inn students and recently Called members visited European and International courts in Luxembourg, Strasbourg, and The Hague. These subsidised trips offer an unprecedented opportunity for those interested in human rights, international, or European law to explore these landmark legal institutions, meet practising barristers and judges, and connect with fellow junior members of the Inn.
Read on for a report from Mary Collingridge and Bibi Fatimah Ali Khan about their visit to the Hague.
Our trip to the Hague afforded us the opportunity to expand our knowledge on International Criminal Law and better understand its influence on domestic law.
Mary Collingridge and Bibi Fatimah Ali Khan
The Hague
Day 1
International Criminal Court
Our first stop was to the ICC, where we watched the Court Officer read out Mr Kony’s 39 charges committed between 2002 to 2005 and the Lead Prosecutor’s opening statement. Although this preliminary hearing was heard in Mr Kony’s absence, the ICC must now rely on state cooperation to deliver him for trial. We considered the balancing of procedural rules with allowing alleged victims their opportunity to achieve justice: a theme which continued to arise throughout our various visits.
Kosovo Specialist Chambers
It was fascinating to see how the International Criminal Law system works in cooperation with national jurisdictions, even when the latter are less supportive of prosecutions. Intended as a temporary Chamber, its jurisdiction relates to crimes committed during the Kosovo War and thereafter. Even now, with so many nationals against the ICC’s authority, witness protection is necessary to ensure the safety of those testifying. Measures include voice distortion, video link hearings and preserving evidence of those ill and dying.
Day 2
United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals
We were privileged to visit the IRMCT and understand how the Mechanism performs the essential functions previously undertaken by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Tribunal for (the former) Yugoslavia. We were also given an insight into how the Tribunal maintains its archives, which contain extensive physical evidence related to the cases.
British Embassy
We learnt how the British Embassy acts as a link between international ongoings and domestic decision-making, becoming involved where national courts can make a genuine legal contribution to international law, such as being able to intervene in certain ICJ opinions. We learnt how the Embassy translates complex issues to enhance cooperation between states and experts to progress policy.
We would recommend this trip to anyone interested in international law, who would like to better understand the systems and the links to domestic law.
Details on how to apply for next year’s visits will be shared on our European Visits page and the Inn’s social media in 2026. We will not be able to respond to enquiries about the 2026 visits until that time.