Independent Justice in the Name of His Holiness? Vatican Tribunals and International Law Requirements

In a judgment of 2023, the Vatican City State Tribunal imposed prison sentences and fines on several laypersons and clerics involved in a London real estate transaction. The judges used a significant portion of their statement of reasons to explain why the proceedings did not violate European fair trial principles. In contrast, defence counsel had argued that the pope’s position as absolute monarch of the Vatican is incompatible with the notion of judicial independence. The present article weighs the conflicting arguments, considering both the implications of the European Convention on Human Rights and the purpose and special nature of the Vatican City State.