Title:
The Coalition for the ICC makes ASP19 closing statement
16 December 2020
On 16 December 2020, during the closure plenary session of the 19th Session of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Ms Elizabeth Evenson of Human Rights Watch, on behalf of Melinda Reed, CICC Acting Convenor, and the Coalition as a whole, delivered the following statement:
Mr President,
- As this 19th Assembly Session concludes, the Coalition for the ICC confirms its strong support for the Court and the Rome Statute system. Despite the unique challenges and constraints of this session’s hybrid nature, we have participated in large numbers and have some brief observations to share.
- First, as this session resumes tomorrow in New York, we urge States Parties to ensure a proactive, fair, informed, and transparent election process for the next ICC Prosecutor, and to elect the most highly qualified candidates in the 2020 judicial elections, to ensure the Court benefits from the highest quality leadership.
- Second, States Parties must provide the Court with adequate resources. Repeated restrictions of the court’s budget without sufficient consideration for its workload continue to undercut its ability to fulfil its mandate. We again call on the Assembly to renew a genuine dialogue with the court and civil society regarding the court’s resource needs.
- Third, we note ongoing discussions around the Review Process and look forward to a timely assessment of recommendations from the Independent Expert Review that is inclusive of victims and civil society, especially in situation and preliminary examination countries.
- Fourth, we welcome your strong statements of support for the Court in the face of unprecedented political attacks and call on you to maintain constant vigilance to protect the Court’s mandate from unwarranted attacks and interference.
- Finally, we recall that the global pandemic has had an impact not only on the world’s health, but also on the world’s most vulnerable, on their human rights and access to justice, and on the human rights defenders who seek to protect them. We urge you to support, defend and protect human rights defenders and their work in service of the world’s most vulnerable people in 2021 and the years to come.
- Mr. President, we remain ready to continue to strengthen and support the Court and work together with this Assembly so that it can be a force of progress and stay true to the preamble of the Rome Statute.
- As we conclude this session, the Coalition for the ICC stands ready to engage with you and the Court, to share our vision, experience and expertise to seek solutions to make the system more fair, effective, independent, accessible and accountable.
Thank you.
Coalition for the International Criminal Court