Hailed as a major innovation in international criminal law, The Ljubljana–The Hague Convention (Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty) was adopted in May 2023. So far signed—but not ratified—by thirty-seven countries from Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, it aims to close the gap regarding the matter of extradition in international law, as well as expand victims’ rights, streamline the matter of res- titution and take international criminal legal procedures into the twenty-first cen- tury. This article ponders whether the treaty is truly as innovative as it presents itself to be, applying a legal semiotics perspective to textual analysis. Consisting of two parts, the first an overview of the treaty, the second a detailed discussion of its provi- sions, the article examines the meaning construction within the text. By highlighting the Convention’s conceptual advancements—but also its drawbacks, this study also aims to increase its visibility and significance within the legal community.

Keywords: The Ljubljana-The Hague Convention; The Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty; War crimes; Crimes against humanity; Genocide; International cooperation.

International Journal for the Semiotics of Law, 2025.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11196-025-10267-y

The research paper was supported by Charles University Research Centre program No. UNCE24/SSH/039.