The President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, H.E. Mr Sidiki Kaba, welcomes the deposit by the Czech Republic on 12 March 2015 of the instruments of ratification of the amendments to the Statute on war crimes and the crime of aggression.
The said instruments were presented by H.E. Ms Edita Hrdá, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the United Nations in the presence of Minister Kaba.
The Czech Republic thus becomes the twenty-fourth State to have ratified the amendments on war crimes and the twenty-third for those on the crime of aggression.
"I congratulate the Czech Republic whose commitment today has contributed to a world where Peace and Justice reign. I invite all States to follow suit to give hope to the victims of mass crimes who are in great need of it," said Minister Sidiki Kaba.
The first Review Conference of the Rome Statute, held in 2010 in Kampala (Uganda), adopted a set of amendments to article 8, and defined as war crimes the use of certain weapons during armed conflicts not of an international character. It also adopted a second set of amendments relating to the definition of the crime of aggression and the provisions for the exercise of the Court's jurisdiction.
The Court may exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression after 1 January 2017, once thirty States Parties have ratified the amendments, and subject to a decision to activate by the Assembly.
The Czech Republic ratified the Rome Statute on 21 July 2009 and incorporated in its national legislation provisions related to the crimes relevant to the Statute and cooperation in 2013. It also ratified the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Court ("APIC") on 4 May 2011.
Crime of aggression amendments
UN Treaty Collection- Ratification participants list
Article 8 amendment
UN Treaty Collection - Ratification participants list