Obama Discusses the ICC Findings on Libya's Gaddafi in June 29 News Conference

From The New York Times:

President Obama: "And I just want to point out -- I know it's something you know -- the International Criminal Court identified Qaddafi as having violated international law, having committed war crimes. What we’ve seen is reports of troops engaging in horrible acts, including potentially using rape as a weapon of war. And so when you have somebody like that in charge of large numbers of troops, I think it would be hard for us to feel confident that the Libyan people are going to be protected unless he steps down."

A New Angle to US Policy Toward the ICC: Opposing Travel by ICC Indictees

In a State Department press conference on June 27, Spokesperson Victoria Nuland underscored US support for the ICC's investigation in Libya and went on to reveal a previously unknown element of US policy:

QUESTION: Well, on that, since you spoke so glowingly of the Chinese hosting the TNC, what do you think of the Chinese hosting President Bashir? And is any vote that they participate in that relates to the ICC, does it have any meaning at all? I mean, if they’re willing to – I don’t know if he was supposed to arrive late tonight after the delay, but certainly they’re – what they’re doing flies in the face of any kind of cooperation with the ICC.

MS. NULAND: We continue to oppose invitations, facilitations, support for travel by ICC indictees. We have a longstanding policy of strongly urging other nations to do the same. We have urged China to join the international community in its call for Sudan to cooperate fully with the ICC as required by UNSC 1593.

AMICC Convener John Washburn on "Hearing Women's Voices Loud and Clear in The Hague"

From The InterDependent:

At International Criminal Court events, more women than men show up. Why?

A new and striking reminder of the importance of the International Criminal Court for women and their special support for it has emerged in the last few months. Fatou Bensouda, a lawyer from Gambia, has become a leading candidate to be elected the court’s prosecutor in December, when Luis Moreno-Ocampo’s term ends...

Read more

AMICC Urges US Cooperation to Execute ICC Arrest Warrants for Col. Gaddafi and Others

ARREST WARRANTS ISSUED

Today Pre-Trial Chamber I of the ICC issued arrest warrants for three individuals – Col. Muammar Gaddafi, his son Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi and Abdullah Al-Sanousi, the Head of the Military Intelligence – for the crimes against humanity of murder and persecution in Libya since February 15, 2011. The warrants come just over one month after the ICC Prosecutor’s application for them on May 16. The application resulted from an investigation initiated in early March following a unanimous referral of the situation in Libya to the ICC by the UN Security Council. The decision marks the second time the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for a sitting head of state; the first was for Omar Al Bashir of Sudan in March 2009.

TAKE ACTION!

This challenge to the international community could prove an important opportunity for US leadership and support to the Court. The arrest warrants issued today provide a new and concrete opportunity to advance US national interests and to support international justice. For this reason and since July 17 is International Justice Day, AMICC has created an International Justice Day alert action which we hope you will use in your advocacy and share with others. It urges President Obama to help fulfill the mandate of Resolution 1970 which the US strongly supported by helping to carry out the arrest warrants issued today. Please share widely!

ICC in the Media, Update #33

This week the media has primarily focused on the Libya investigation. In May ICC Prosecutor Ocampo requested the issuance of arrests warrants against Muammar Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam and Libya's spy chief Abdullah al-Senussi. On Monday June 27 the ICC judges approved the application and issued arrest warrants against the three on charges of crimes against humanity committed in Libya. Reading out the chamber's verdict Presiding Judge Monageng said that there were "reasonable grounds" to believe that Gaddafi had "absolute, ultimate and unquestioned" control over Libya's security forces during the period in question. In other news, the much criticized visit to China by Omar al-Bashir has been delayed for unknown reasons. Sudan's President, who is wanted by the ICC on numerous charges, was scheduled to arrive in Beijing early Monday morning, but failed to appear.

Last Thursday, Prosecutor Ocampo applied to a panel of ICC pre-trial judges to request opening a formal investigation into the election crisis that occurred last year in the Ivory Coast. On Friday, Tunisia reportedly became the 116th member of the ICC after completing the final step to join the Court. It is the first north African country to join the ICC. The Rome Statute is scheduled to enter into force for the nation on September 1. As expected, council for the "Kenya six" has appealed the Pre-Trial Chamber's recent ruling against allowing domestic proceedings. The parties cite various alleged procedural and legal errors as the basis for their appeal. The judges have yet to rule on the appeal. Photo credit: The Telegraph UK.

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.

TAKE ACTION! Celebrate International Justice Day on July 17

July 17 is International Justice Day, the birthday of the International Criminal Court. It is an opportunity to celebrate the successes of the ICC and your community’s commitment to a progressively stronger US engagement in international justice. It is also an opportunity to remind our communities and US elected officials that the Court serves the interests of the American people.

Please let us know how we can assist you in your preparations and please let us know what you are planning so we can let others know about it through our social media and on the calendar page of the AMICC website where you can check back to find events in your area.

TAKE ACTION!

- Organize a panel discussion, rally, teach-in, film screening, happy hour or community picnic on or around July 17
- Bring together local organizations from the faith, legal, academic and human rights communities to collaborate on an event
- Since July 17 falls on a Sunday this year, encourage churches and other groups meeting on Sunday to recognize July in their worship or other activities
- Visit your Senator or Member of Congress to voice your support for the ICC
- Ask your Mayor, City Council or an appropriate organization for a July 17th proclamation

USE THE MEDIA

- Write an Op-Ed or letter to the editor for your local newspaper
- Meet with editorial boards to explain the importance of July 17
- Appear on a local radio or TV show to speak about the ICC
- Distribute flyers in support of the Court at community events, spaces and celebrations

PLUG IN

- Follow AMICC on Twitter, and tell your followers about International Justice Day
- Join the AMICC Facebook fanpage

USE OUR RESOURCES

AMICC’s July 17 Organizing Guide
Sample Mayoral Proclamation
Factsheet on President Obama’s Evolving Policy on the ICC

ICC in the Media, Update #32

This week the news coverage of the ICC has spanned a range of topics. President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan, wanted by the ICC for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, announced that he will not attend an economic conference in Malaysia next week. Sources have reported that his failure to attend is unconnected to the warrants for his arrest, however, human rights groups (including Amnesty International) have called for his arrest should he choose to attend. Bashir is also scheduled to visit China next week after receiving an invitation from President Hu Jintao. The visit is reported to include talks to ensure peace in Sudan, but amidst reports that state-imposed violence in on the rise in Sudan NGOs and IGOs have called for China to withdraw its invitation and arrest Bashir. Last week the President of the Ivory Coast announced that the ICC is investigating crimes committed following their post-election crisis that claimed approximately 3,000 lives. The Office of the Prosecutor is currently collecting evidence that he will submit to the ICC judges to request the opening of a formal investigation. Victims of election violence have been given a deadline of 30 days to submit testimony to the Prosecutor in support of opening an investigation. Last week ICC Pre-Trial Chamber II's Presiding Judge Trendafilova endorsed a compromise to have the ICC trials held within Kenya. However, the "Kenya Six" are widely expected to object to this plan in favor of locally-administered trials, despite the fact that international experts believe that such proceedings will not be fully fair and independent. In other news, some files relating to the ICC's Libya investigation have been released. The files reportedly reveal a high-level government policy of bombarding and starving populations in Libya. U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton publicly condemned Libya's policy of rape that the Office of the Prosecutor released a report on last week. The Jean-Pierre Bemba trial is continuing at the ICC with the Prosecutor bringing forward its twenty-third witness. In other news, government officials have reportedly said that the U.S. is gathering evidence on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for a possible referral to the ICC. Photo Credit: CNN.