The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday opened its official headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands.
The event was attended by politicians, diplomats and lawyers from around the world, as well as the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
Writing in Ahram Online, the ICC's president, Judge Silvia Fernandez, said "the message of today’s ceremony is clear: the International Criminal Court is here to stay."
"The ICC’s mandate is relevant everywhere. Where massive atrocities have occurred, international justice helps ensure that such crimes are addressed, that the perpetrators are held responsible and that victims receive justice."
"In areas under the threat of conflict, the ICC is an invaluable tool in the prevention of large-scale violations of human rights. The credible likelihood of a legal process and accountability is key to effective deterrence of future crimes."
"The ICC is today playing an important role in the efforts of the international community to ensure accountability for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, whether they take the form of mass killings, persecution on ethnic grounds, rape as a weapon of war, use of child soldiers, large-scale torture, deportations, or attacks on civilians.
But the ICC cannot do this everywhere. Misunderstandings about the ICC’s possibilities under its founding treaty have led to perceptions of selective justice. However, unless the Security Council of the United Nations decides to submit a situation to it, the Court can only investigate when the countries concerned have voluntarily accepted its powers – and many of the world’s worst conflict zones are currently outside its reach. Our states parties must continue efforts to encourage more countries to join the Rome Statute system of international criminal justice if they want to see an ICC that is able to address all crimes in an equal manner.
The International Criminal Court is here to stay. Its commitment to justice is stronger than ever, and the Court is actively taking new initiatives to improve its efficiency and effectiveness in order to meet the challenges before it."
See full article here.
The event was attended by politicians, diplomats and lawyers from around the world, as well as the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
Writing in Ahram Online, the ICC's president, Judge Silvia Fernandez, said "the message of today’s ceremony is clear: the International Criminal Court is here to stay."
"The ICC’s mandate is relevant everywhere. Where massive atrocities have occurred, international justice helps ensure that such crimes are addressed, that the perpetrators are held responsible and that victims receive justice."
"In areas under the threat of conflict, the ICC is an invaluable tool in the prevention of large-scale violations of human rights. The credible likelihood of a legal process and accountability is key to effective deterrence of future crimes."
"The ICC is today playing an important role in the efforts of the international community to ensure accountability for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, whether they take the form of mass killings, persecution on ethnic grounds, rape as a weapon of war, use of child soldiers, large-scale torture, deportations, or attacks on civilians.
But the ICC cannot do this everywhere. Misunderstandings about the ICC’s possibilities under its founding treaty have led to perceptions of selective justice. However, unless the Security Council of the United Nations decides to submit a situation to it, the Court can only investigate when the countries concerned have voluntarily accepted its powers – and many of the world’s worst conflict zones are currently outside its reach. Our states parties must continue efforts to encourage more countries to join the Rome Statute system of international criminal justice if they want to see an ICC that is able to address all crimes in an equal manner.
The International Criminal Court is here to stay. Its commitment to justice is stronger than ever, and the Court is actively taking new initiatives to improve its efficiency and effectiveness in order to meet the challenges before it."
See full article here.