|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT: Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) |
|
Global Coalition Marks Tenth Anniversary of ICC Statute
|
|
|
WASHINGTON - July 17 - Today is International Justice Day, which this year marks the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC), on 17 July 1998. This week, Suriname became the 107th country to join the ICC, adding to the growing consensus that crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide must not go unpunished.
“Today we celebrate a treaty that constitutes a milestone for peace and security. The Rome Statute is the advancement of a dream, a dream for human security. This day marks one of the most important achievements in international law since the adoption of the UN Charter in 1948,” says the Convener of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) William Pace.
Around the world, members of the Coalition will be celebrating this day with citizens in their community, government officials and members of the legal community.
At United Nations Headquarters in New York, UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon will mark the tenth anniversary with ICC President Philippe Kirsch and ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo.
In Johannesburg, South Africa at a CICC-sponsored event, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a board member of the ICC Trust Fund for Victims (TFV), together with ICC Judge Navanethem Pillay and Deputy Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda will take stock of how far the Court has come in Africa.
Coalition members have planned events from Africa to Asia. In Benin, the Ministry of Justice and the Benin Coalition for the ICC will bring together countries from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to discuss implementation and ratification of the Rome Statute and the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Court (APIC). The Benin government has agreed to sign a cooperation agreement with the ICC during the event.
In Iran, the national coalition for the ICC will hold a roundtable discussion for judges, lawyers, students and members of civil society about the Court’s role in underrepresented regions.
In Indonesia, the national coalition will host an all-day seminar and film screening. The national coalition in Guatemala will hold a press conference. Members in Moldova will collect signatures urging their government and that of Ukraine to join the Court. In Nigeria, there will be a judicial colloquium about international justice. In India, the national coalition will host an hour-long program on the Court on national television.
“It is worth recalling that civil society participation under the umbrella of the CICC represented by far the largest and best organized delegation at the Rome Conference in 1998. The contributions of civil society are widely affirmed as being among the most important aspects of the Statute and of the international justice system created by it.”
To learn more about this anniversary, please visit us at http://www.iccnow.org/?mod=rome .
To view an online version of our tenth anniversary statement, see http://www.iccnow.org/documents/july17_separated_eng.pdf
We also invite you to visit our events calendar at http://iccnow.org/?mod=currentevents to learn more about member activities.
### |
|