when was the idea for putting war criminals on trial first developed
War crimes trial The trial of Peter von Hagenbach by an ad hoc tribunal of the Holy Roman Empire in 1474, was the first “international” war crimes trials and also of command responsibility.[1][2] Hagenbach was put on trial for atrocities committed during the occupation of Breisach, found guilty, and beheaded.[3] Since he was convicted for crimes, "he as a knight was deemed to have a duty to prevent", although Hagenbach defended himself by arguing that he was only following orders from the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold, to whom the Holy Roman Empire had given Breisach.