CYIL Vol. 7, 2016

CYIL 7 ȍ2016Ȏ THE UNITED NATIONS WAR CRIMES COMMISSION… Secretary of the Legal Committee. Another lawyer coming from the German minority, Dr. Egon Schwelb, who served as a member of the Legal Council of the Czechoslovak exile Government, was appointed the Legal Officer of the Commission in March 1945 (he later pursued his career in the UN). 28 As any other international organization, the Commission was also equipped with its Secretariat, consisting of just a few individuals. The first Secretary-General, Mr. Hugh McKinnon Wood, was proposed by the Lord Chancellor and confirmed by the Commission at its first meeting on 11 January 1944. When Foreign Office requested him for other work, the Commission elected as Secretary-General Colonel G. A. Ledingham. 29 The Commission established three main committees: Committee I, referred to as the “Committee on Facts and Evidence”, was formed by the Commission on the basis of a Czechoslovak proposal. At the same time, the Commission recommended to establish National Offices that would investigate the reports relating to war crimes and submit the information to the Committee I (after the liberation, the Czechoslovak National Office was the Ministry of Interior). Committee I then examined the charges filed by the Governments (through the National Offices, or directly) and prepared the lists of war criminals for the apprehending authorities. A new List emerged when a sufficient number of names was accepted. After the approval by the Commission, the List was printed. Committee I met regularly once a week. 30 Committee II, constituted at themeeting on 1 February 1944, was concernedwith “enforcement”, which comprised measures to ensure the detection, apprehension, trial and punishment of persons guilty or responsible for war crimes. Over time, its functions were taken over by the other two committees. 31 Committee III, also created on 1 February 1944, was the Legal Committee to advise on legal questions, including definition of a war crime, defense of superior orders, military necessity etc. 32 Furthermore, on the proposal of China, the Commission established, on 10 May 1944, a Far Eastern Sub-Commission as its branch dealing with the Japanese war criminals. 33 In addition to its main committees, the Commission further created the Public Relations Committee, Finance Committee etc. 34 Nowadays, the sensitive issue being discussed within international organizations is the budget (not excluding the International Criminal Court), so this question should not be omitted. The salary of every Commissioner was paid by his Government, while the Commission was responsible only for the salary of the Secretary-General, his staff 28 See supra note 4, p. 137. 29 Ibid. , p. 119. 30 Ibid. , p. 120-123. 31 Ibid. , p. 124.

32 Ibid. , p. 126-127. 33 Ibid. , p. 129-131. 34 Ibid. , p. 131.

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