One of the most important developments in the slow but determined journey of the international community toward a system of justice and accountability is the increasing acceptance of the duty to prosecute those responsible for mass human rights violations, regardless of rank or position. The historical unspoken presumption that heads of state may act with impunity has finally begun to crumble, but progress continues to be extremely difficult, unsteady, and hard fought.

The strong and conflicting reactions in Sudan and elsewhere to the request by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for the arrest of President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir of Sudan, and the response in Bosnia and Herzegovina to the arrest of Radovan Karadžić, show the political sensitivities that can become significant bumps in the road.

It is important that the lessons learned on this difficult journey are available to us all. However, until now there has been no detailed review of major attempts at bringing national leaders to justice.

Prosecuting Heads of State fills this void and is a fascinating and readable account of efforts to bring senior political leaders to justice for human rights and financial crimes. It considers the background and political circumstances that have enabled these cases to proceed and the effect they have had on transitions to peace and democracy in the countries concerned.