The Presidency of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute reaffirms its unwavering support for the International Criminal Court

Press Release
Publishing Date
Reference Number
ICC-ASP-20230322-PR1711

The Presidency of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute refers to threats against the International Criminal Court as well as measures announced against its Prosecutor and Judges involved in the issuance of arrest warrants in the Ukraine situation. The Presidency of the Assembly regrets these attempts to hinder international efforts to ensure accountability for acts that are prohibited under general international law.

The Presidency of the Assembly emphasizes that the Court, its elected officials, and its staff have the strong support of the Assembly of State Parties to the Rome Statute. We reaffirm its full confidence in the Court as an independent and impartial judicial institution and reiterate our strong commitment to uphold and defend the principles and values enshrined in the Rome Statute and to preserve its integrity undeterred by any threats. 

The International Criminal Court embodies our collective commitment to fight impunity for the gravest international crimes. As an institution of last resort, the Court is complementary to national jurisdictions. We call on all States to respect its judicial and prosecutorial independence.

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The Assembly of States Parties is the management oversight and legislative body of the ICC. It is comprised of representatives of States that have ratified or acceded to the Rome Statute. The Presidency of the Assembly is currently composed of H.E. Ms. Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, (Argentina) President; and H.E. Ms. Kateřina Sequensová (Czech Republic) and H.E. Mr. Robert Keith Rae (Canada), Vice-Presidents. 
 

Source
Assembly of States Parties