On Thursday 27 October 2005, the Federal Minister of Justice of Austria, Ms. Karin Gastinger, and the President of the International Criminal Court, Mr. Philippe Kirsch, signed the first agreement between a State Party and the ICC on the enforcement of the sentences to be handed down by the Court.
The signing ceremony took place at the seat of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, The Netherlands.
The Rome Statute provides that the sentences handed down by the Judges "shall be served in a State designated by the Court from a list of States which have indicated to the Court their willingness to accept sentenced persons". (Article 103).
The signing of the first Enforcement of Sentences Agreement is an important step in the Court being fully operational.
President Kirsch thanked the Minister for Austria’s decision to enter into the agreement with the Court and expressed his appreciation for Austria’s longstanding commitment and support for the Court.
For further information, please contact the ICC Spokesperson Ernest Sagaga on Tel. +31 (0)70 515 8762 / Mob. +31 (0)6 4644 8710