Support civil society in fight for global justice

During the reporting period, the Coalition  Secretariat maintained dialogue with Coalition members and representatives of the ICC, and the below is a compilation of some key developments: 

Updates on cases and situations: 

• Situation in Central African Republic II: Yekatom and Ngaïssona case (The Prosecutor v. Alfred Yekatom and Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona): Opening Statement by the Defence of Mr Yekatom: Practical information (17 November 2023) 
• Situation in Uganda:  

o   ICC terminates proceedings against Vincent Otti following his passing (17 November 2023) 

o   ICC judges issue a preliminary decision on holding confirmation of charges hearing in the absence of Joseph Kony (23 November 2023) 

#NGOVoices on international justice 

• Darfur Women Action Group. Statement by Niemat Ahmadi to the UNSC debate on Conflict Related Sexual and Gender Based Violence Support (6 November 2023) 
• TRIAL International. “Alleged Gambian Death Squad Member To Stand Trial in The USA” (2 November 2023) 
• Comité de Víctimas de Lesa Humanidad. Press release on Day 1 of the Venezuela Appeals Hearing - "Victims have a very clear position that Venezuela is not, and will not in the future, investigating the crimes against their family and friends" (7 November 2023); Day 2: “The Appeal Hearing on Venezuela Concluded after Two Days of Intense Debate at the ICC” (8 November 2023) 
• Foro Penal and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (RFKHR) Call for the Honorable Appeals Chamber of The International Criminal Court (ICC) to Uphold the Pre-Trial Chamber I Decision to Resume Investigations into Crimes Against Humanity in Venezuela (8 November 2023) 
• Centre for Justice and Peace (Centro de Justicia y Paz (CEPAZ)). “The Venezuelan state insists on delaying the process before the International Criminal Court” (8 November 2023) 
• Trial International. “Upcoming Trial of Congolese Warlord In France is a Historic Step Toward Justice” (8 November 2023) 
• Lawyers for Justice Libya. “Alarming Announcement By ICC to Complete Investigation In Libya by 2025 Puts Justice For Victims At Risk” (9 November 2023) 
• Al-Haq, Al Mezan, and PCHR. “Palestinian Human Rights Organisations call on ICC to issue arrest warrants against Israeli leaders for genocide and incitement to genocide” (9 November 2023) 
• The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession. “A call upon the Arab governments to Join International Criminal Court (ICC)” (12 November 2023) 
• Human Rights Watch. “Joint NGO Comments on the “[Draft] Policy on Complementarity and Cooperation” (September 2023)” (13 November 2023) 
• Al-Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights. “Palestinians Call on Ireland to Support the Sinn Féin Motion to Refer the Situation in Palestine to the International Criminal Court, as an Important Protective Measure” (15 November 2023) 
• Acceso a la Justicia. “The ICC held the first face-to-face meeting in the case regarding the alleged crimes against humanity that occurred in Venezuela” (15 November 2023) 
• Open Society Justice Initiative. “French Magistrates Seek Arrest of Syria's Al-Assad and Associates for Chemical Weapons Attacks” (15 November 2023) 
• Coalition for the ICC. CICC Letter to States Parties ahead of the 22nd Session of the ICC Assembly of States Parties (ASP22) (17 November 2023) 
• Trial International. Launch of the Universal Jurisdiction Interactive Map (recording) and map here (20 November 2023) 

Universality of the Rome Statute and ratification of its Amendments  

• Armenia is set to become the 124th State Party to the ICC. See here additional information and the timeline of Armenia’s ratification. 
• ICC press release: Armenia joins the ICC Rome Statute (17 November 2023) 

During the reporting period, the Coalition Secretariat maintained dialogue with Coalition members and representatives of the ICC, and the below is a compilation of the key developments: 

At the International Criminal Court

This section highlights past decisions and other key developments at the International Criminal Court and the Trust Fund for Victims, including on policy and regulations. 

Updates on cases and situations:

o   Situation in CAR II 

i.         Mokom case (The Prosecutor v. Maxime Jeoffroy Eli Mokom Gawaka): 24 August - ICC concludes confirmation of charges hearing in Mokom case

 ii.         Yekatom and Ngaïssona case (The Prosecutor v. Alfred Yekatom and Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona): 13 September, Presentation of evidence by the Legal Representatives of Victims

Statements and releases

ICC: 

- Statement of the ICC Spokesperson on a recent cybersecurity incident (19 September)

-  ICC concludes three-day Training for Counsel (22 September 2023) 

- The ICC opens its doors on The Hague’s Just Peace Open Day (25 September 2023)

- ICC President contributes to Ethical Principles for International Criminal Judges (26 September 2023)

Office of the Prosecutor

• ICC Kyiv Field Office Opening on September 14, 2023 (14 September 2023)

• ICC Office of the Prosecutor partners with national authorities and international experts in the forensic identification and restitution of remains of victims in the Central African Republic (29 September 2023)

• The ICC Office of the Prosecutor welcomes the progress made in the ongoing domestic trial in Guinea (29 September 2023)

Trust Fund for Victims

-  Hungary makes voluntary contribution to the Trust Fund for Victims at the ICC (7 September 2023) 

-  Belgium and the Czech Republic announce voluntary contributions to the TFV (27 and 28 July 2023)

Building support for justice in the Rome Statute system

This section includes information on efforts at the international, regional and domestic levels to strengthen the Rome Statute system, including on ratification of the Statute and its amendments, domestic implementation, as well as expressions or policies to enhance political support from States, their domestic institutions, and international and regional organizations.

Universality of the Rome Statute and ratification of its Amendments

• Rome Statute Amendments: On 21st September 2023, Chile and Germany deposited their instruments of ratification of the 2017 amendments to Article 8 of the ICC Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on the use of certain weapons. Germany also ratified the 2019 amendment to Art. 8 on the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in non-international armed conflicts, as well as the amendment for the deletion of article 124 (for further information: UNCT).

Assembly of States Parties

-        The Presidency of the Assembly of States Parties reiterates its unwavering support for the International Criminal Court, its elected officials, and its personnel (1 August 2023) 

-        The ASP Presidency expresses concerns about the cybersecurity incident suffered by the ICC (19 September 2023) 

Other

• “Technology will not exceed our Humanity”: Op-Ed of the Prosecutor on the relationship between international criminal law and the threat of cybercrimes (20 August 2023)

United Nations

During the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, held on September 18 to 26, 2023, the ICC Prosecutor met with a number of States Parties and other officials: with Ambassador Beth Van Schaack (US Ambassador-at-large for Global Criminal Justice), with Mark Brown, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, with José Ramos-Horta, President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, with Alice Wairimu Nderitu, UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, with Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, with Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, Vice-President of the Republic of Uganda, with José Manuel Albares Bueno, Foreign Minister of Spain, with Alberto Van Klaveren, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Chile, with Abdel-Fattah Al- Burhan Abdelrahman Al-Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan, with Fuad Husseein, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Republic of Iraq.