No items in cart.
Sudan-International Criminal Court: An important step
Amnesty International said that today’s announcement by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is an important step towards ensuring accountability for human rights violations in Sudan. The organization was talking in reaction to the announcement by the ICC Prosecutor to seek an arrest warrant against Sudanese President al Bashir.
Amnesty International has repeatedly called for accountability for crimes under international law committed by parties to the conflict in Darfur.
The organization called on the Government of Sudan to ensure that its reaction does not have an adverse effect on the deployment of the joint United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). The government must guarantee that the civilian population in Darfur continues to receive protection from UNAMID and emergency humanitarian assistance.
What is the International Criminal Court (ICC)
The International Criminal Court was established in 2002 as the first permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, as those crimes are defined in the Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court. The ICC currently has 102 States Parties and is investigating crimes in Darfur, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. It is also offering assistance in the trial of former Liberian President, Charles Taylor.
Each month, through the Coalition for an International Criminal Court, of which Amnesty International is a member, the coalition calls on a particular State to strengthen the rule of law around the world by acceding to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as soon as possible and enacting effective implementing legislation.
There is a particular focus on this issue at the moment, because Thursday, 17 July is International Justice Day and also the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute.
The target country for July is Indonesia, which has signed but not ratified the Rome Statute. You can take action on this campaign by visiting http://www.iccnow.org/?mod=urc0608.
AI Aotearoa New Zealand’s legal network is taking a lead in campaigning for ICC ratification and via its latest newsletter http://www.amnesty.org.nz/contribute/specialistnetwork/legal-network-newsletter you will also be able to take action to encourage authorities in the Kingdom of Cambodia to further progress its commitment to this treaty.
