Episode 3
October 2022Prof. Yvonne McDermott Rees
Profesor of Law, Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law, University of Swansea
Marie-Hélène Proulx
International Criminal Defence Lawyer & President of the International Criminal Court Bar Association
Fair trial and witness evidence from the perspective of the defence in international criminal trials
November 2023
(recorded January 2023)
In this engaging episode of The Hearsay Evidence Podcast, host Manuel Sanchez Miranda welcomes Marie-Hélène Proulx, a distinguished international criminal defense attorney and President of the International Criminal Court Bar Association (ICCBA). Marie-Hélène is a lawyer admitted to the Québec Bar since 2003. She previously worked as a Legal Consultant for the appeal proceedings in the case of Dominic Ongwen, as Associate Counsel for Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz (ICC), and in the Defence team of Hassan Habib Merhi before the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. She was also appointed Ad Hoc Counsel at the Office of Public Counsel for the Defence and acted as Rule 74 Legal Adviser at the ICC. She acted as Counsel for Jean de Dieu Kamuhanda, and is currently a pro bono Counsel for Mr. Siméon Nchamihigo before the IRMCT. She also worked as a Legal Officer at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and at the ICC, Teaching Assistant at the University of Geneva and Legal Adviser at the ICRC Advisory Service on International Humanitarian Law at the Geneva Headquarters.
She obtained a law degree from the Université de Montréal (Canada) as well as a LL.M from the University Centre for International Humanitarian Law (now Geneva Academy).
She is currently the President of the ICCBA and was previously a member of the Executive Council (2019-2020) and of the Training Committee (2020-2021).
The episode opens with a critical discussion on the need to bridge wage and working condition gaps between defense teams and the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP), highlighting its importance for fair trials.
The core of the conversation delves into the intricacies of witness evidence and the principles of a fair trial in international criminal proceedings. Marie-Hélène offers in-depth insights from a defense perspective, exploring various facets of witness testimony in international trials, including their types, admissibility criteria, appeal grounds, cross-examination processes, and assessment challenges. She sheds light on how narratives, theories, and political influences can sway judicial decisions in international courts, advocating for a nuanced understanding of the factors shaping trial outcomes.
This episode with provides a rare glimpse into the world of international criminal defense, underscoring the intense demands on defense counsel and the continuous pursuit of justice and equality in the legal system.
Evidence in international criminal trials
November 2023
Prof. Mark Klamberg
Professor and head of subject for public international law, Stockholm University
November 2023
Prof. Mark Klamberg
Professor and head of subject for public international law, Stockholm UniversityFair trial and witness evidence from the perspective of the defence in international criminal trials
November 2023
November 2023
Marie-Hélène Proulx
International Criminal Defence Lawyer & President of the International Criminal Court Bar Association
International Law Commission's work on evidence before international courts and tribunals (69th session)
November 2023
Dr. Aniruddha Rajput
Member of the ILC Commission (2017-2021), Evidence Before International Courts and Tribunals
November 2023
Dr. Aniruddha Rajput
Member of the ILC Commission (2017-2021), Evidence Before International Courts and Tribunals
Audiovisual evidence in the documentation of international criminal crimes
December 2023
December 2023
Chiara Gabriele
Senior Legal Advisor, TRIAL International
Digital evidence and the use of open-source methods in international fact-finding
December 2023
December 2023
Prof. Alexa Koenig
Lecturer in Residence and Executive Director of the Human Rights Centre, Berkeley University
The realities of the prosecution
January 2024
January 2024
Luis Moreno Ocampo
Former Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court
Fact-finding before the International Criminal Court and the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals
January 2024
January 2024
Kate Gibson
International Criminal Lawyer & Associate Tenant, Doughty Street ChambersEpisode 3
November 2023
Marie-Hélène Proulx
International Criminal Defence Lawyer & President of the International Criminal Court Bar Association In this engaging episode of The Hearsay Evidence Podcast, host Manuel Sanchez Miranda welcomes Marie-Hélène Proulx, a distinguished international criminal defense attorney and President of the International Criminal Court Bar Association (ICCBA). Marie-Hélène is a lawyer admitted to the Québec Bar since 2003. She previously worked as a Legal Consultant for the appeal proceedings in the case of Dominic Ongwen, as Associate Counsel for Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz (ICC), and in the Defence team of Hassan Habib Merhi before the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. She was also appointed Ad Hoc Counsel at the Office of Public Counsel for the Defence and acted as Rule 74 Legal Adviser at the ICC. She acted as Counsel for Jean de Dieu Kamuhanda, and is currently a pro bono Counsel for Mr. Siméon Nchamihigo before the IRMCT. She also worked as a Legal Officer at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and at the ICC, Teaching Assistant at the University of Geneva and Legal Adviser at the ICRC Advisory Service on International Humanitarian Law at the Geneva Headquarters. She obtained a law degree from the Université de Montréal (Canada) as well as a LL.M from the University Centre for International Humanitarian Law (now Geneva Academy). She is currently the President of the ICCBA and was previously a member of the Executive Council (2019-2020) and of the Training Committee (2020-2021).The episode opens with a critical discussion on the need to bridge wage and working condition gaps between defense teams and the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP), highlighting its importance for fair trials.The core of the conversation delves into the intricacies of witness evidence and the principles of a fair trial in international criminal proceedings. Marie-Hélène offers in-depth insights from a defense perspective, exploring various facets of witness testimony in international trials, including their types, admissibility criteria, appeal grounds, cross-examination processes, and assessment challenges. She sheds light on how narratives, theories, and political influences can sway judicial decisions in international courts, advocating for a nuanced understanding of the factors shaping trial outcomes.This episode with provides a rare glimpse into the world of international criminal defense, underscoring the intense demands on defense counsel and the continuous pursuit of justice and equality in the legal system.