Upcoming ICC Judicial Elections and the Independent Panel

Photo courtesy ICC-CPI

Later this year the ICC’s governing body will elect six new judges to take office in March 2012 and a new Prosecutor to take office in June 2012. This will result in a major change in ICC officials which will impact the future of the Court. The nomination period for both the judicial and prosecutor elections is now open through September 2 and the elections will be held in December at the regular Assembly of States Parties (ASP) session in New York. Information about both elections is available on the ASP website. The statements and curricula vitae of the judicial candidates will also be posted to this website soon after they are submitted.

The judicial elections are regularly held every three years to replace the six judges whose staggered nine-year terms are to expire. As in previous elections, there are certain criteria which guide the States Parties in the nomination and election procedures, including the requirements of Article 36 of the Rome Statute. This demands that judicial candidates possess certain experience and competence in criminal law or international law, among other requirements such as gender and geographic representation.

The international NGO Coalition for the ICC (CICC) in cooperation with AMICC, has established the Independent Panel on ICC Judicial Elections. The purpose of the Panel is to raise awareness about the qualifications required of candidates and to encourage States Parties to nominate the most highly-qualified candidates. It will do so by assessing candidates based on the publicly available nomination materials as “Qualified” or “Not Qualified” according to the Rome Statute requirements. More information about the Panel, including its Terms of Reference, is available here.