Vatican Prepares For War Crimes Prosecution For Trafficking Tiny Humans

Now, why would Pope Francis update the nation's judicial system?

Well, considering the fact that the Vatican is a foreign nation, whereby its GDP is based upon its thousand years global industry of trafficking tiny humans, I am going with "war crimes" as my final answer.

The pope updates Vatican judicial system

New law assures judiciary independence and brings Vatican into line with international legal treaties, while maintaining the paramount place of canon law

This new judicial organization proposed by Pope Francis is 'in many ways very modern,' assures the president of the Vatican tribunal Giuseppe Pignatone.

As small as it is — no more than 44 hectares — Vatican City State is nonetheless independent and therefore governed by its own judicial system.

On Monday, March 16, Pope Francis revised this system by promulgating Law 35.

It replaces previous legislation that John Paul II decreed in 1987.

In the preamble to the 31 articles of this new law, Francis says changes were required to reflect "a significantly different historical and institutional context."

He notes that it is in line with recent "normative reforms in economic-financial and penal matters, as well as a consequence of adherence to important international conventions.

"The pope says it is also a question of improving the "efficiency" of the Vatican's justice system.

The Holy See Press Office said the new law aims in particular to "guarantee the independence of judicial bodies and magistrates."

Magistrates "exercise their powers with impartiality," the law states.

They have the faculty to directly call on the judicial police, which is exercised by the Vatican Gendarmerie.

The text also states that magistrates depend only on the pope.

He appoints them and grants them Vatican citizenship for the duration of their term of service.

Qualification requirements for judges

The new law says the virtue of justice must be the basis of the small state's judicial system.

"The cardinal virtue of justice, in fact, enlightens and synthesizes the very purpose of the judicial power proper to each state in order to cultivate the personal, generous and responsible commitment of those invested with the jurisdictional function which is, above all, essential," the pope says.

Magistrates will be "chosen preferably from among tenured or retired university professors, and in any case from among renowned jurists who have acquired proven experience in the judicial or forensic, civil, criminal or administrative fields."

In addition, specialized magistrates may be recruited in response to "specific requirements."

This increase in requirements is also reflected in the composition of the Court of First Instance, which is now composed of the president and four other magistrates, one more than under the law in force until now.Of these judges, at least one exercises this task "on a full-time basis, without having subordinate working relationships or carrying out independent activities of a continuous nature."

A 'very modern' lawPope Francis notes another important point of this new law in his preamble.

Namely, that it "preserves and ensures the specificity of Vatican law, which recognizes the canonical system as the first source of legislation and the first criterion of reference for interpretation."

It is thus required that one of the magistrates of the Vatican Tribunal be an expert in canon law.

Likewise, one must have "proven knowledge of canon law" to be a lawyer.

This new judicial organization is "in many ways very modern," assures Giuseppe Pignatone, the President of the Vatican Tribunal.

Writing in L'Osservatore Romano, he said it aims to "guarantee the conditions of independence and efficiency" of magistrates.

There are other provisions, such as the possibility of the addition of judges to judge in collegial form a cassation case — this law is due to come into force in one month.

Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©