By Geoffrey Robertson QCDo not judge this book by its cover: it is not about crimes against humanity, which has a specific meaning in public international law. Nor, despite what the blurb says, is it ‘scholarly’, although it is certainly ‘impassioned’ (quixotic might be even more accurate).
Using colourful language (‘pathetic’, ‘sad joke’, ‘talk-fests’), it tells the story of the general struggle for the protection of the rights of the individual. But in doing so the author lumps together very different aspects of international law: human rights, armed conflicts, dispute settlement and the use of force.
