TY - JOUR
T1 - The Ljubljana–The Hague Convention
T2 - a treaty for the globalised and interconnected world? Perspectives from a legal semiotics analysis
AU - Sadowski, Mirosław Michał
N1 - This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11196-025-10267-y
PY - 2025/6
Y1 - 2025/6
N2 - Hailed as a major innovation in international criminal law, The Ljubljana–The Hague Convention (Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty) was adopted in May 2023. So far signed—but not ratified—by thirty-seven countries from Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, it aims to close the gap regarding the matter of extradition in international law, as well as expand victims’ rights, streamline the matter of restitution and take international criminal legal procedures into the twenty-first century. This article ponders whether the treaty is truly as innovative as it presents itself to be, applying a legal semiotics perspective to textual analysis. Consisting of two parts, the first an overview of the treaty, the second a detailed discussion of its provisions, the article examines the meaning construction within the text. By highlighting the Convention’s conceptual advancements—but also its drawbacks, this study also aims to increase its visibility and significance within the legal community.
AB - Hailed as a major innovation in international criminal law, The Ljubljana–The Hague Convention (Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty) was adopted in May 2023. So far signed—but not ratified—by thirty-seven countries from Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, it aims to close the gap regarding the matter of extradition in international law, as well as expand victims’ rights, streamline the matter of restitution and take international criminal legal procedures into the twenty-first century. This article ponders whether the treaty is truly as innovative as it presents itself to be, applying a legal semiotics perspective to textual analysis. Consisting of two parts, the first an overview of the treaty, the second a detailed discussion of its provisions, the article examines the meaning construction within the text. By highlighting the Convention’s conceptual advancements—but also its drawbacks, this study also aims to increase its visibility and significance within the legal community.
KW - The Ljubljana–The Hague Convention
KW - The Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty
KW - war crimes
KW - crimes against humanity
KW - genocide
KW - international cooperation
UR - https://doi.org/10.17868/strath.00092513
U2 - 10.1007/s11196-025-10267-y
DO - 10.1007/s11196-025-10267-y
M3 - Article
SN - 0952-8059
VL - 38
SP - 1763
EP - 1780
JO - International Journal for the Semiotics of Law
JF - International Journal for the Semiotics of Law
IS - 5
ER -
