WASHINGTON - January 25 -

WHAT: On 26-27 January 2006, during a resumed meeting of the Fourth Session of the Assembly of ICC States Parties (ASP), International Criminal Court (ICC) member states will elect six new judges to the bench of the ICC. The first election of ICC judges took place in February 2003 at the First Session of the ASP. At that time, the Court’s first eighteen judges were elected. In order to ensure for the continuity of the Court’s work, lots were drawn to decide terms of office with six judges serving for nine years; six judges serving for six years; and six judges serving for three years. This year’s election, therefore, will elect six new judges for a term of nine years in order to maintain the continuity process.

WHO: A total of ten candidates are running for election. Six of the candidates are currently sitting judges at the Court: Hans-Peter Kaul (Germany); Erkki Kourula (Finland); Akua Kuenyehia (Ghana); Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa); Sang-hyun Song (Republic of Korea); and Anita Ušacka (Latvia). The four other candidates are: Károly Bard (Hungary); Haridiata Dakouré (Burkina Faso); Cheikh Tidiane Thiam (Senegal); and Ekaterina Trenafilova (Bulgaria). The nominees’ CVs and statements are listed on the ASP’s website at: www.icc-cpi.int/asp/elections/2006_JudgesAlpha.html

HOW: Each of the ten candidates must fulfill a number of categories provided for in the ICC treaty, the Rome Statute. These categories include: established competence in criminal law and procedure versus established competence in relevant areas of international law; fair representation of female and male judges; equitable geographical representation; and balanced representation of the principal legal systems of the world. To ensure that these provisions are actually implemented in the election, the ASP has created an election procedure that is based on a system of minimum voting requirements. In light of the other twelve current ICC judges who remain in their positions, this means that in the current election, States Parties will have to vote for at least:

One candidate with established competence in criminal law
One candidate with established competence in relevant areas of international law
One candidate from the group of African States
One candidate from the group of Asian States
Two candidates from the group of Eastern European States
One woman

WHERE: Although the ICC is an independent body and not an organ of the United Nations, the resumed session of the ASP will be taking place at UN Headquarters in New York. The earlier meeting of the ASP, which took place from 28 November-3 December 2005, was convened in The Hague where the Court is situated.

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