Recalde-Vela
201
tion in the proceedings,222 victims do not need to participate in order to benefit from reparations.223 This
mechanism is ideal when there are many victims but limited funds, making collective reparations feasible
and ideal since they can reach a great number of victims. For instance, in the Lubanga reparations ruling
of 2015 only collective reparations were granted by the Appeals Chamber.224 While access to participation
in the proceedings—a form of redress for some victims—can be challenging for stateless persons due to
documentation issues. It seems accessing reparatory measures is less stringent upon documentation, and
therefore there is room for easy access to reparations for stateless persons if in the future there is a case
concerning stateless persons who have been victims of violations of the international crimes over which the
court has jurisdiction.
5 Conclusion
Statelessness can be said to be both a violation of a right, and also a condition that is conductive to other
violations of international legal norms (namely human rights), depending on the context. As it has been
established, harm gives rise to an obligation to redress. The question of who is liable to redress this harm
depends on the context in which the harm was done, and also depends on which mechanisms stateless
individuals are able to access in order to seek redress. The nature of the redress they obtain also depends
on the mechanisms they access, as well as on the nature of the violations they experienced and who caused
said harm. Another important element to consider in establishing what kind of redress they may obtain
is the nature of the mechanism, as there is a difference between judicial or non-judicial mechanisms. The
decision by the Court on whether a wrongdoing took place or not (merits) will also be a determinant, in
situations where the mechanism accessed is judicial in nature. The specific reparatory measures significantly
depend on the context, and each mechanism has its own ways to determine which measures are suitable.
The three mechanisms explored in section 4 showed the different forms of redress that can be attained by
statelessness individuals. The UNCC, a non-judicial mechanism, for instance granted only compensation,
while the IACtHR, a judicial mechanism, granted stateless individuals both monetary compensation and
non-monetary forms of reparation.
Several conclusions can be drawn from this study regarding the challenges and opportunities faced by
stateless persons in seeking redress for harm they experienced. The first is that for claims based on protection
thought diplomatic channels, nationality will continue to be an important element in the case of internationally wrongful acts for as long as states continue to be the main actors.225 The “traditional approach” of diplomatic protection will likely continue to be a challenge for stateless individuals regarding the vindication of
their rights under international law.226 However, as this study has shown, the rise of other international mechanisms capable of providing victims of internationally wrongful acts with redress almost completely counter
this challenge. That is not to say that these mechanisms are free of challenges regarding access to redress.
However, it can be concluded that they present a strong framework for ensuring all victims of internationally
wrongful acts—particularly highly vulnerable groups like the stateless—can access redress. This is especially
true, as this article has shown, because these mechanisms have ways to address the specific challenges that
statelessness has posed or can potentially pose for future attempts by stateless persons to seek redress.
222
223
224
225
226
Ibid, at 4; ‘Reparations and the Trust Fund for Victims’ in K. Booth & J Sulzer, Victims’ Rights Before the International Criminal
Court: A Guide for Victims, their Legal Representatives and NGOs (International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Paris 2007),
at 10.
In order to apply for participation in the proceedings, there is a form for victims to fill in and an application process; for requesting
reparations, there is another form. ‘‘Reparations and the Trust Fund for Victims’ in K. Booth & J Sulzer, Victims’ Rights Before the
International Criminal Court: A Guide for Victims, their Legal Representatives and NGOs (International Federation for Human Rights
(FIDH), Paris 2007), at 11; ‘Reparations and the Trust Fund for Victims’ in K. Booth & J Sulzer, Victims’ Rights Before the International
Criminal Court: A Guide for Victims, their Legal Representatives and NGOs (International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Paris
2007), at 4.
In Lubanga, it was established that the appropriate modalities of reparation are restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, as well
as others with a symbolic, transformative and preventative value. Furthermore, it was established that if an individual is denied
individual reparations, he/she can still benefit from collective reparations. See Situation in the DRC in the case of The Prosecutor v
Thomas Lubanga Dyilo [2015] ICC Appeals Chamber ‘Judgment on the appeals against the “Decision establishing the principles and
procedures to be applied to reparations” of 7 August 2012’, ICC-01/04-01/06-3129, para 202; Situation in the DRC in the case of The
Prosecutor v Thomas Lubanga Dyilo [2015] ICC Appeals Chamber ‘Judgment on the appeals against the “Decision establishing the
principles and procedures to be applied to reparations” of 7 August 2012’, ICC-01/04-01/06-3129, para 155.
K Hailbronner, ‘Nationality in Public International Law and European Law’ in R Bauböck (eds), Acquisition and Loss of Nationality: Policies and Trends in 15 European Countries (1st, AUP, 2006).
EC Gillard, ‘Reparation for violations of International Humanitarian Law’ (2003) 85(851) International Review of the Red
Cross 529.