This week the media has once again covered a large range of ICC activities. An issue of particular focus has been the question of whether the situation in Syria should and will be referred to the ICC. As depicted below, a UN Human Rights Office official made a statement on Friday in support of a referral amidst reports of increasing violence in the region. This position supporting the Court follows the conclusion of several UN Reports finding that crimes against humanity were likely being carried out in Syria. Yesterday the UN General Assembly passed a resolution condemning the violence in Syria, but this does not affect an ICC referral because it must come from the Security Council. In other news, the prosecution's case in the Jean-Pierre Bemba trial is nearing its finish, with the Office of the Prosecutor completing the testimony of it's second to last witness (out of an initial forty) earlier this week. President of the ICC, Judge Sang-Hyun Song reportedly encouraged Australia at a speech in the country on Wednesday to encourage its Asian-Pacific neighbors to become member-states of the Court. Currently Asia is one of the least represented areas of the world within the State Parties of the ICC. Photo credit: AFP.
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