Pal - Paru (English spelling) Radhabinod Pal

An Indian lawyer born in Bengal. He studied mathematics and law with difficulty, and served as professor of law at Calcutta University, judge of the Calcutta High Court, and vice chancellor of Calcutta University. In May 1946, he was appointed as the Indian representative judge at the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (Tokyo Trials). At the end of the trial, he submitted a lengthy dissenting opinion (known as the "Pal Judgment") that was in direct opposition to the majority verdict, recommending that all defendants be acquitted of all charges, on the grounds that in the current international community, planning and initiating a war of aggression is not a crime under international law for which individuals can be held criminally responsible, and that there was insufficient evidence to hold the defendants responsible for atrocities. At the time, the Indian government was critical of Pal's personal opinion, which went against the Allied policy, but Pal opposed the victors unilaterally holding the losers accountable on the legal grounds of ex post facto law. After the Tokyo Trials, he became a member of the United Nations International Law Commission in 1952.

[Yoshinobu Higurashi]

"Tokyo Trial Research Group (ed.) Joint Research: Pal's Judgment, Volumes 1 and 2 (1984, Kodansha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

インドの法律家。ベンガル地方生まれ。苦学しながら数学と法学を学び、カルカッタ大学法学教授、カルカッタ高等法院判事、カルカッタ大学副学長を歴任した。1946年5月、極東国際軍事裁判（東京裁判）のインド代表判事に就任。同裁判の終了時、多数判決と真っ向から対立する大部の反対意見書（いわゆる「パル判決」）を提出し、現行の国際社会において侵略戦争の計画・開始は個人に刑事責任を問いうる国際法上の犯罪にはなっておらず、また残虐行為について被告に責任を負わせるには証拠不十分であるとの理由で、すべての起訴事実について被告全員の無罪を勧告した。インド本国政府は当時、連合国の方針に反するパルの個人的意見に批判的であったが、パルは勝者が事後法の法的根拠で敗者だけを一方的に問責することに反対した。東京裁判後は1952年に国際連合国際法委員会委員。

［日暮吉延］

『東京裁判研究会編『共同研究 パル判決書』上下（1984・講談社）』

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