Q.1 What is the primary function of an international tribunal?
To create national laws
To resolve disputes between states or individuals under international law
To enforce local government regulations
To provide legal advice to corporations
Explanation - International tribunals are established to hear and resolve disputes involving international law, either between states or individuals accused of serious crimes.
Correct answer is: To resolve disputes between states or individuals under international law
Q.2 Which of the following is a permanent international tribunal?
International Court of Justice
Ad hoc tribunal for Rwanda
Nuremberg Tribunal
Tokyo Tribunal
Explanation - The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is a permanent tribunal established to adjudicate disputes between states and provide advisory opinions on international legal issues.
Correct answer is: International Court of Justice
Q.3 The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was established by:
United Nations Security Council
European Union
International Criminal Court
NATO
Explanation - The ICTY was established by the UN Security Council in 1993 to prosecute serious crimes committed during the Yugoslav Wars.
Correct answer is: United Nations Security Council
Q.4 Which principle allows international tribunals to prosecute individuals for crimes committed regardless of where the crime occurred?
Sovereign immunity
Universal jurisdiction
Extradition
Diplomatic immunity
Explanation - Universal jurisdiction allows states or international tribunals to prosecute certain serious crimes such as genocide or war crimes regardless of where they were committed.
Correct answer is: Universal jurisdiction
Q.5 Which of the following tribunals primarily deals with war crimes and crimes against humanity?
World Trade Organization Tribunal
International Criminal Court
Permanent Court of Arbitration
International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
Explanation - The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutes individuals for serious international crimes including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
Correct answer is: International Criminal Court
Q.6 Which of the following is NOT a function of the International Court of Justice?
Providing advisory opinions on legal questions
Adjudicating disputes between states
Prosecuting individuals for war crimes
Interpreting treaties
Explanation - The ICJ settles disputes between states and provides advisory opinions, but it does not have jurisdiction to prosecute individuals; that is the role of tribunals like the ICC.
Correct answer is: Prosecuting individuals for war crimes
Q.7 Which international tribunal was established to try persons responsible for the Rwandan genocide?
ICTY
ICC
ICTR
ICJ
Explanation - The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) was established by the UN Security Council in 1994 to prosecute persons responsible for genocide and other serious violations in Rwanda.
Correct answer is: ICTR
Q.8 The concept of 'complementarity' in the ICC refers to:
The court shares jurisdiction with regional tribunals
The ICC intervenes only when national courts are unwilling or unable to prosecute
The ICC automatically prosecutes all international crimes
States must defer to ICC decisions on domestic matters
Explanation - Complementarity ensures that the ICC acts as a court of last resort, respecting national legal systems while intervening only when necessary.
Correct answer is: The ICC intervenes only when national courts are unwilling or unable to prosecute
Q.9 Which tribunal was set up specifically to try leaders of Nazi Germany after World War II?
ICTY
Nuremberg Tribunal
Tokyo Tribunal
ICJ
Explanation - The Nuremberg Tribunal (1945–1946) prosecuted leading Nazi officials for crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
Correct answer is: Nuremberg Tribunal
Q.10 Which of the following is a key feature of ad hoc international tribunals?
Permanent jurisdiction
Established for a specific conflict or period
Handles civil disputes between states
Operates under domestic law only
Explanation - Ad hoc tribunals are temporary courts established to address crimes or conflicts in a specific region or time frame, like ICTY or ICTR.
Correct answer is: Established for a specific conflict or period
Q.11 The Rome Statute is associated with which international tribunal?
ICJ
ICC
ICTY
ICRC
Explanation - The Rome Statute, adopted in 1998, established the International Criminal Court and defines its jurisdiction, functions, and procedures.
Correct answer is: ICC
Q.12 Which body enforces the judgments of the International Court of Justice?
United Nations General Assembly
United Nations Security Council
International Criminal Court
World Bank
Explanation - The UN Security Council has the power to enforce ICJ judgments if a state fails to comply voluntarily.
Correct answer is: United Nations Security Council
Q.13 Which of the following is a common procedural principle in international tribunals?
Ex parte decisions
Right to a fair trial
No legal representation allowed
Trial in absentia is mandatory
Explanation - International tribunals follow principles such as due process, equality of arms, and the right to a fair trial for all defendants.
Correct answer is: Right to a fair trial
Q.14 The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea primarily deals with:
Crimes against humanity
Maritime disputes and interpretation of the Law of the Sea
International trade disputes
Environmental law enforcement
Explanation - This tribunal settles disputes arising out of the interpretation and application of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Correct answer is: Maritime disputes and interpretation of the Law of the Sea
Q.15 Which of the following is a key difference between the ICJ and the ICC?
ICJ prosecutes individuals, ICC settles disputes between states
ICJ settles disputes between states, ICC prosecutes individuals
ICJ only provides advisory opinions, ICC cannot prosecute
Both function identically
Explanation - The ICJ handles state-to-state disputes, while the ICC prosecutes individuals for serious international crimes.
Correct answer is: ICJ settles disputes between states, ICC prosecutes individuals
Q.16 Which tribunal was established to address crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge regime?
ICTY
ECCC
ICC
ICJ
Explanation - The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) was set up to try senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
Correct answer is: ECCC
Q.17 The principle of 'nullum crimen sine lege' applied in international tribunals means:
No punishment without a judge
No crime without a law
No prosecution without state approval
No defense allowed
Explanation - This principle ensures that individuals cannot be prosecuted for acts that were not criminal at the time they were committed.
Correct answer is: No crime without a law
Q.18 Which tribunal was the first to prosecute crimes of sexual violence as war crimes?
ICTY
Nuremberg Tribunal
Tokyo Tribunal
ICJ
Explanation - The ICTY set a precedent by recognizing systematic rape as a crime against humanity and a war crime.
Correct answer is: ICTY
Q.19 Which of the following is an enforcement challenge faced by international tribunals?
Limited jurisdiction over individuals
Dependence on states for arrest and cooperation
No defined legal framework
Lack of permanent judges
Explanation - International tribunals often rely on member states to arrest and surrender accused persons, which can hinder enforcement of judgments.
Correct answer is: Dependence on states for arrest and cooperation
Q.20 Which tribunal primarily settles disputes related to investment between states and foreign investors?
ICJ
ICSID
ICC
ITLOS
Explanation - The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) handles disputes between states and foreign investors under international investment law.
Correct answer is: ICSID
Q.21 The principle of 'fair trial' in international tribunals includes:
Access to legal counsel
Immunity from prosecution
Automatic acquittal for political leaders
Closed hearings for all cases
Explanation - A fair trial requires that defendants have access to legal representation, adequate time to prepare, and an impartial tribunal.
Correct answer is: Access to legal counsel
Q.22 Which of the following tribunals uses a mixed composition of national and international judges?
ICJ
ECCC
ICC
ITLOS
Explanation - The ECCC combines Cambodian and international judges to ensure both local legitimacy and international standards of justice.
Correct answer is: ECCC
Q.23 The 'adversarial procedure' in international tribunals means:
Judges actively investigate the case
Parties present evidence and arguments while the judge acts as an impartial arbiter
Cases are decided without evidence
Only prosecution presents arguments
Explanation - In adversarial systems, the judge ensures fairness while the parties are responsible for presenting their case.
Correct answer is: Parties present evidence and arguments while the judge acts as an impartial arbiter
Q.24 Which tribunal’s mandate ended after completing prosecutions for crimes committed in the Balkans?
ICTR
ICTY
ICC
ICJ
Explanation - The ICTY was a temporary tribunal that completed its mandate and formally closed in 2017 after addressing war crimes in the former Yugoslavia.
Correct answer is: ICTY
Q.25 The appeals procedure in international tribunals allows:
Judges to retry cases arbitrarily
Parties to challenge convictions or sentences in a higher chamber
Immediate execution of sentences
States to veto decisions
Explanation - Appeals provide an essential safeguard by allowing review of trial chamber decisions to ensure justice and legal correctness.
Correct answer is: Parties to challenge convictions or sentences in a higher chamber