Slobodan Milosevic has again made history: this time as the first former head of state to be brought before an international tribunal to be tried for crimes against humanity and other violations of international law. It should be pointed out, though, that The Hague tribunal, where the former Yugoslav president is scheduled to be tried, is not a permanent international tribunal but an ad hoc one limited to a particular geographical area and time frame -- the former Yugoslavia since Jan. 1, 1991.
As of June 30, 36 countries have already ratified the international treaty to establish a permanent international criminal court (PICC). With only 24 more countries' signatures needed, the international community seems to be forging ahead in establishing a PICC so that future prosecutions can take place in a less ad hoc, regional or restricted international tribunal.
Only a day before Milosevic's transfer to The Hague tribunal on June 27, a case decided by the International Court of Justice also made the news.