News Archive
Meet M. Cherif Bassiouni, '67, International Criminal Law Pioneer
11/23/2014
Many alumni of the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law go on to achieve great things after completing their legal studies. But few are as recognizable on the international stage as M. Cherif Bassiouni, ’67.
Born in Cairo, Bassiouni immigrated to the United States in 1962. He began his education in Egypt, where he received an LL.B. from the University of Cairo. He also undertook legal studies in France, Switzerland, and the United States. In the U.S., he received a J.D. from IU McKinney, an LL.M. from John Marshall Law School, and an S.J.D. from George Washington University Law Center.
Considered by many as a seminal force behind the creation of the International Criminal Court, and often cited as a war crimes expert, Bassiouni’s list of accomplishments is as extensive as it is impressive. He is one of the founders of the International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences, where he has served in various leadership capacities. He also has served as secretary general of the International Association of Penal Law, as well as that organization’s president.
He has been appointed to a total of 22 United Nations positions, including several appointments concerning the creation of the International Criminal Court, appointments examining human rights violations in several countries, and work on groups devoted to crime prevention.
Bassiouni also served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of State and Department of Justice on many projects, including the international trafficking of drugs, international control of terrorism, and defense of the U.S. hostages in Iran.
Nominated in 1999 for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work toward establishing the International Criminal Court, Bassiouni has been honored with a variety of awards and accolades throughout his life. In addition to awards from the universities where he has taught and studied, he has received the Hague Prize for International Law, and the United Nationals Adlai E. Stevenson Award, among a host of others. In 2000, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from IU McKinney.
He is now an emeritus professor of law at DePaul University College of Law where he taught from 1964 to 2012.
